The Mortal Sentinel
by writerchic97
Summary: Zera is a young Celestrian, one of the Guardians of the mortal race. When a disater strikes the Observatory, propelling her to the Protectorate, she finds an adventure she could never have imagined, with new friends and a destiny she never expected.
1. Chapter 1

_"Hello? Is anyone there? If you're there, say something. Show yourself._

"Thus do the voices of mortals plead, ever hopeful proof of our existence…" mused my master, the Celestrian Aquila. "For how long now have we watched over their realm...? For how long have we Celestrians existed…?"

As he spoke, my eyes drifted across the village of Angel Falls. A young boy chased a dog out of a house; women gossiped by the well; a man sat fishing by the stream. All was well in the village. "You have come far, Zera," Aquila said, turning to me. I looked at him with surprise. My master was grudging with his praise; to receive a compliment from him was like watching the rain fall back into the clouds."

I must confess to having had my doubts when you became Guardian of the village in me stead. But its inhabitants' continued peace and safety is proof of your devotion. When Apus Major bade me, 'Aquila, take Zera as your apprentice,' I never imagined I would see you bloom so. You are worthy of your title indeed, Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls." I smiled. "I thank you, Master."

Then my master's attention was diverted. "Hm!" he said, stiffening as he looked beyond the borders of the town. I followed his gaze to see Erinn, a violet-haired girl of perhaps fifteen walking along the road towards the town, followed by her grandfather, an old man named Flinn.

"Hahh…" Flinn said, "hahh…don't ever get old, my dear Erinn. You don't ever want to get old." Erinn turned. Even from this distance, hovering by the falls, I could see the smile upon her face. "Oh, Grandpa," she said. "It's not much further now. I'm sure you'll make it."

As they spoke, my attention was diverted. A cruelcumber and two slimes, common monsters in the Angel Falls area, leapt out of a bush. They spotted Erinn and Flinn up ahead, and ran to a rock in their path.

"These wicked creatures must not be allowed to ambush innocent members of your flock, Zera," Aquila said. I nodded. "Come, Guardian of Angel Falls," he continued. "It is time to fulfil our duty as Celestrians!" We flew from our position above the town to land beside the monsters. At the sound of our landing, they turned to face us. My master and I drew our swords, and we engaged them.

I struck first. The slime squealed as I sliced it, and exploded into purple dust. The cruelcumber rushed me then, stabbing me in my right arm with its spear before I could dodge. Aquila blocked the remaining slime's attack with the flat of his sword, and stabbed it. It, too, exploded.

I sliced at the cruelcumber's front. Rather than sticking around, it ran away before Aquila could finish it. I looked over and saw that Erinn and her grandfather had stopped by the rock.

"See, Grandpa!" Erinn said. "There's Angel Falls up ahead." Flinn sighed. "Aaah… I honestly believed I'd set my tired old eyes on the place again. But here we are at last. Home." Erinn put her hands on her hips, smiling. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, Grandpa!" she said. "The village Guardian will have been watching over us all the way. Nothing could ever have happened to us!

"She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head. "Benevolent Zera, thank you for protecting us on our journey." As she straightened up and began back along the road, a softly glowing blue crystal appeared where she had stood. I glided over to retrieve it.

"Behold, Zera," Aquila said. "Benevolessence. The crystallisation of the mortals' gratitude towards we who watch over them. As Celestrians, our cardinal duty is the offering up of this sacred substance to mighty Yggdrasil, the Great World Tree. Come, Zera. Let us return the Observatory, that you may make your offering.

"I nodded, and we took off, straight up into the blue sky. As we rose, the Observatory came into view: a great, tall palace in the sky, green and full of Celestrian life. Crowning the Celestrians' great home was Yggdrasil, the Great World Tree. She stood tall and strong, proud and beautiful. My heart soared.

We entered the Observatory through the portal in the bottom floor. As our feet touched the floor, Aquila said, "The first task a Guardian must perform upon returning from the Protectorate is to report to Apus Major. As unchanging as the North Star, you will find him in the Great Hall." He turned away.

"Master, will you not be going with me?" I asked. He turned back. "Nay. I have other matters to attend to. You must excuse me." Then he turned away and left. I saw his direction and realised he was going to visit the grave of his own master, Corvus, who had disappeared many years ago in the Protectorate.

I ascended the stairs to the Great Hall. Apus Major stood upon a raised dais directly ahead of me. "Greetings to you," I said, kneeling before him. "Well met, Zera, apprentice of Aquila," he replied, gesturing for me to rise. "Welcome back. I trust your absence has not been so lengthy that you forget your old master, Apus Major!"

I smiled. "Nay, sir. How would one forget you?" Apus Major laughed. "My congratulations on successfully completing your first task as a Guardian, Zera," he said. I smiled and nodded, accepting his praise. It flowed far more willingly from him than from Aquila. "You have performed your duties well thus far," he continued, "albeit under Aquila's watchful gaze. However, the time has come for you to spread your own wings. What say you? Are you ready to undertake you duties alone?"

I felt a smile spread across my face. "Aye!" I said. Apus Major laughed. "Ho ho ho! I see you are a confidant apprentice. Very good. The young have confidence where the old have experience."

And so we come to the next of your duties. I believe you have acquired a crystal of benevolessence, have you not?" I nodded. "The essence of mortal gratitude. You must offer it to the Great World Tree, Yggdrasil, who shelters us with Her nurturing boughs from atop the Observatory. She will soon bear fruit at last. Go now, and do as I have instructed."

I bowed once more and took my leave. I turned his words over in my mind as I ascended the many stairs to Yggdrasil's lofty position. Was the Great World Tree truly to soon bear Her fruits, as the legends said?

At the foot of the great Tree, I kneeled and raised the benevolessence crystal above my head. I felt it leave my hands, and looked up as it rose. Slowly, the Tree absorbed it, and began to glow."Behold, Zera…" came Aquila's voice from behind. I rose and turned to him. "Is Yggdrasil, to whom we offer the benevolessence we gather, not truly beautiful?" I nodded in agreement. "She is even lovelier when She glows," I said. Aquila looked up to the Tree. "Gathering and offering up benevolessence is the most sacred duty with which we Celestrians are charged," he said. "I trust you will perform your duties well, Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls."

"I shall, Master," I said. As I made to descend the stairs, Aquila said to me, "I have been thinking, Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls…" I looked to him. "Yes, Master?"

"To address you as 'Guardian of Angel Falls' is both convoluted and inconvenient. You will henceforth allow me to use this form of address only when formality dictates, I take it?"

"Of course, Master," I replied. Aquila did not smile- he was not one who ever smiled- but he nodded. "Good," he said. "It is well that you succumb to my recommendation so quickly, my pupil. As you are aware, the law forbids a Celestrian to oppose a superior. Now, go to Apus Major and tell him of the successful completion of you task."

"Well done, Zera," Apus Major said when I told him of it. "And how did might Yggdrasil appear to you?"

"She was truly beautiful," I replied. "When I gave Her the benevolessence, Her glow was bright beyond any I have seen from Her before." Apus Major nodded. "She was fiercely aglow?" I nodded in response. "Ho ho ho! It seems the time may soon be upon us. As I am sure you are aware, it is we Celestrians' duty to tend to mighty Yggdrasil until such time as She bears fruit. It is to this end that Guardians watch over mortalkind and gather benevolessence."

He smiled. "And now, Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls, I believe you know what you must do next. You are to return to the Protectorate and gather benevolessence…this time without Aquila to accompany you. Make ready, and then speak with the female Celestrian who stands guard over the great portal in the floor below. May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you, Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls."

And I descended once more to perform my duties.

It was dark when my duties were complete. Aquila had come on his rounds of the Protectorate, and had assisted me in sending a spirit to the light. It was a duty I found I enjoyed.

As I prepared to return to the Observatory and Aquila to continue his rounds, a glowing golden train streaked across the sky. "The Starflight Express…" murmured Aquila. "Indeed, it has been unusually active of late." He returned his gaze to me.

"I have changed my mind," he told me. "I shall accompany you to the Observatory after all, Zera."

When we arrived through the portal, Aquila said, "I have important matters to discus with Apus Major. Please, excuse me." He took his leave, and I began my journey up the stairs to Yggdrasil. To my surprise, Aquila and Apus Major stood at her foot.

"Well met, Zera!" Aquila said as I joined them. "Truly, you have chosen a most fortuitous moment to join us." He turned to the Tree. "Behold Yggdrasil. She is ready to burst into bloom with all the benevolessence we have offered up to her." I felt my heart leap in my chest. "Truly?" I asked. The Tree was glowing softly.

"Ho ho ho!" laughed Apus Major. "Yes, she is but a hair's breadth now from bearing fruit. 'Fyggbloom hails the opening of the heavenly gates, and sets the Celestrians on the path to salvation…'"

Aquila continued the words of the ancient legend. "'And lo, it shall be in the celestial carriage that we, the chosen custodians, journey unto the Realm of the Almighty.'…" He turned to me. "It is time, Zera. Offer up the benevolessence you have gathered unto mighty Yggdrasil. Do so, and She will surely bear fruit at long last."

My heart raced as I stepped forward and raised the benevolessence above my head. As Yggdrasil absorbed it, She began to glow, far brighter than ever before. Seven beautiful golden fruits bloomed in Her branches, and I heard gasps from all around- for the entire Observatory had come to the outside.

"Behold!" cried Apus Major. "The sacred fyggs bloom!" The Starflight soared towards us. "And the celestial chariot appears…praise be! All is as it was foretold!"

As he spoke, the Starflight landed on the rim of the Observatory. As I took a small, slow step towards it, a dark violet beam of light suddenly speared it and it fell away from the Observatory, its carriages breaking apart from one another. More beams began to shoot up, rocking the Observatory. I fell to the ground and gripped the stair to keep from being blown away.

"What is happening?" cried Apus Major over the cries of the other Celestrians. "Were we…deceived?" Suddenly, the Observatory rocked again, and I was ripped from the stair. "Master!" I screamed. "Aquila!"

"Zera!" he cried, reaching for my hand. But I was already too far away, and our hands missed. I was flung out into empty air.

I could not find the composure to right myself and flap my wings. I could feel my feathers being ripped off as I fell, and I saw the seven golden fyggs falling to earth. "No!" I cried, but my breath was ripped away. I fell faster and faster, my feathers ripping away at an incredible pace. Then, I saw the pool at the base of the falls below me. I crashed into the water, and knew no more.

/\*/\

The passage of three days found me standing before the Guardian statue of Angel Falls. I had come to appreciate the place as a good spot to think.

For there was much to think about. When I had awoken, it was to find Erinn leaning over me. My wings had been ripped away completely, and of my halo there was no sign. But the oddest part of all was that Erinn and the others of the town were able to see me.

They should not have been able to. Mortals did not have the ability to see or hear Celestrians; it was something we were all taught. I knew not if my sudden visibility was due to the disappearance of my wings and halo. But matters such as that often took the backstage in my mind.

Far more often, I thought of Aquila, Apus Major, and the others who had been in the Observatory. Had they, too, been knocked to the Protectorate in the chaos? Or was I the only one? I most worried about Aquila. He had always been a good master, a great teacher- strict at times, but still excellent. And in a way, he had also become my only friend.

Not a night since I had fallen had passed without dreams of falling. It was understandable after a fall such as mine and the loss of my wings. I had had difficulty in falling asleep, as well, and so I was rather tired.

The inscription upon the Guardian statue caught my eye, and I smiled slightly: Zera, Guardian of Angel Falls. The day Yggdrasil had bloomed, Ivor and Hugo, two village boys, had been arguing over the inscription. Ivor had insisted that it had not always said Zera upon it, but rather Aqui-something. Hugo had replied that it had said Zera for as long as he could remember. A young boy had prayed that someone teach Ivor a lesson for being as full of himself as he was; I had gladly obliged and smacked Ivor in the back of the head. He deserved it; he had claimed in front of me that he had no belief in Guardians.

But my thinking was interrupted. "Hey, it's that Zera character who turned up just after the earthquake the other day," said a voice from behind me. I turned. Ivor and Hugo had ascended the small rise to where the statue stood. "Oi! Wakey, wakey!" Ivor said. "What are you doing there, staring off into space?"

Without waiting for an answer, he continued speaking as though I were not present. "I don't know what Erinn thinks she's doing bothering with the likes of her. She won't tell us where she's from, her clothes are all weird…I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her!"

"I bet it's her name that's got Erinn so keen," Hugo said. "It is the same as our village Guardian's, after all." Ivor snorted. "Huh!" I doubt it's even her real name. I bet she's just some no-good wandering minstrel taking on a Guardian's name to get a free lunch." Then he began speaking to me again. "Well, listen to this, oddball! I won't let you get away with any funny business on my patch."

"Yeah, watch your step!" Hugo said in a teasing tone. "Ivor doesn't like Erinn giving all her attention to you." Ivor turned to him. "Shut up, you idiot!" he said. "Why would you say that!" Then he looked around. "Uh-oh!"

Erinn was walking to join us. "What's going on?" she asked. "What are you two bothering Zera for?" Ivor appeared flustered. "Er…hi, Erinn! Nothing's going on. Just teaching Zera here a few village rules. Anyway, we were just leaving. Come on, Hugo." They left very quickly. I struggled to restrain a smile. Ivor was very obviously more than a touch fond of Erinn.

Erinn was watching them go. "I don't know why Ivor's so full of himself these days," she murmured. "He never used to be like that." Then she turned back to me. "Anyway, you must be feeling better now if you're out walking around, Zera. Coming up here reminds me of when I first found you."

She looked off over the pool. "I was so surprised. You must have got caught up in the earthquake and fallen from the top of the waterfall. You're lucky you survived…." Then she looked back to me. "Anyway, I'm heading home. There's nothing more to do at the inn for now. Enjoy the rest of your walk, but make sure you don't overdo it, okay? I'll see you back at the house." She turned and returned to her home.I stayed still for a moment, not thinking. Then I turned back to the Guardian statue and , protect them, I beg of you, I prayed. Keep them safe from harm, wherever they may be and whatever may have happened to them. Especially Aquila, please. Keep my master safe. Then, slowly, I rose and returned to Erinn's.

She stood with her back turned to the door, facing the stove. As I entered, she turned. "Oh! Hello, Zera," she said. "You're back much sooner than I expected. I'm preparing a meal at the moment, so can you wait a little bit? Now you're so much better, why don't you take a stroll around the village and say hello to everyone?" I nodded and took my leave.

I did not speak to anyone. I knew that they had no desire to speak to me. Some of them believed me to be the cause of the bad luck that had befallen them after the earthquake- the increased monster threat around the village and the landslide that had blocked the nearby mountain pass. So I wandered.

As I passed Mayor Litlun's home, I heard voices from inside. My curiosity was piqued, and so I paused by the open window to listen.

"Isn't it about time you did something useful with yourself rather than just hanging about the place causing trouble?" asked Mayor Litlun's voice. "You'd do well to take a leaf out of Erinn's book. She puts in a lot of hard work at the inn, that girl."

"Huh!" said Ivor. "What's Erinn got to do with it?" I smiled. Ivor jumped as though someone had stuck him with a pin every time Erinn's name was mentioned. It was rather amusing. "I am trying to find something I want to do, anyway. And when I figure out what that is, I'll work my socks off! …Probably…"

Shaking my head, I took my leave. Perhaps supper would be ready. Erinn was an excellent cook, and I was hungry.

"Hello again, Zera," said Erinn as I walked in. "I've just this minute finished preparing the food. You look like you've had quite a long walk. I expect you probably just want to eat your dinner and turn in for the night, don't you?"

"Aye," I said. Erinn smiled. "Then let's eat!" she said. "Can you help me lay the table? You can have a rest as soon as we've finished eating, don't worry." We ate, and soon after I lay down to sleep.

The next morning, I woke well before dawn from yet another nightmare. No one else awoke until hours later. "Good morning, Zera!" Erinn called, perhaps an hour after dawn. "Come on, get up! You have a visitor. Ivor's here. He's got something or other he wants to talk to you about. He knows you're here, so I can't very well turn him away. Just give him a few minutes of your time, okay?" I heard her footsteps recede as she left the room. I groaned and sat up.

Ivor was waiting in the doorway downstairs. "Hey, Zera," he said. "Don't look so surprised. There's something I wasn't to talk to you about, that's all. We can't talk about it here, though. Come outside a minute.

"We left the house. Ivor led me around to the side, where there were no windows. "What did you wish to speak to me about?" I asked him. "So, here's the thing," he said. "You've heard about how the pass has been blocked by a landslide, right? Well, that pass is a lifeline here in Angel Falls. We're totally cut off if we can't use it. It's a real problem for Eri- a real problem for everyone, I mean. So I was thinking: what better time for Ivor to come to the rescue? I'm going to clear the landslide and make it passable again. I know Erinn will be pleased as well. There's just one hitch with my perfect plan. Since the earthquake, there have been lots more monsters about, and it's pretty dangerous to leave the village now. That's where you come in. I was thinking that maybe you could tag along. You minstrel types are generally pretty handy in a scrap, right? Can I count on you to help me out?"

"Certainly," I said, after a moment's hesitation. I needed to get out of the village for a time. Angel Falls was lovely, but I needed to go somewhere. "Knew it!" he exclaimed. "Right then, you lead the way, Zera. It's easy enough to find. You just head out of the village and follow the road east. Oh, yeah, and let's keep this to ourselves okay? We don't want everyone sticking their beaks in."

I agreed, and we left the village. Hugo stood by the arch over the road out of town. "Here comes another lamb to the slaughter!" he said. "You can't go out there, you know. There are monsters about."

"Stop trying to scare people!" Ivor said. "We're leaving the village and there's nothing you can do to stop it." At that moment, Hugo appeared to realise that Ivor and I were together. "W-wait a minute!" he said. "What are you dong with her, Ivor? Since when were you best mates?"

Ivor rolled his eyes. "You are a pain sometimes! We're just going to clear the landslide, that's all." Hugo paused. "Oh, right…but there really are monsters around, you know." Ivor sighed loudly. "Nothing I can't handle," he said. "Just let us by, would you? Hold us up any longer and there'll be trouble!"

"G-go, then," Hugo said. "I'm not stopping you." He moved aside, and we started out of the village. "But if you get tired or hurt, you'll come straight back to the village if you know what's good for you," he warned. "A quick rest should be enough to get your strength back up again. There's no need to be a hero!"

We exited the village. I could hear birdsong, but also monsters- many more than usual. Fortunately, they didn't seem to be paying attention to us. We walked for nearly an hour before anything exciting happened.

We had entered a small wood. "Finally!" Ivor said. "We're here at last. The landslide's somewhere in these woods, apparently." But I was paying little attention to him. Something in a clearing up ahead had distracted me.

Up ahead, no longer glowing gold but solidly there, sat the Starflight Express.

I approached it slowly. "What are you staring at?" he asked. Evidently, he could not see the train. "It's just a fallen tree. I don't get what's so fascinating about it. You can be properly weird sometimes, you know that?" He turned along the path, which led northeast. "The landslide's this way. I'll go on ahead!"

He headed off along the trail as I stared at the Starflight. Why was it no longer glowing? And why was it sitting in a clearing? Could it no longer fly?I shook my head and turned up the path. As I walked, I thought for a moment that I heard someone speaking behind me, but I continued walking. Five minutes later, I found Ivor standing in front of a great mass of dirt, rocks, and broken tree limbs.

"This is worse than I thought!" Ivor said. "Is this it? But it's so much bigger than I thought…" He turned to me. "You and I will never be able to shift this on our own. Stupid landslide!" He turned back to face the wall of dirt and sniffed. "And I was all ready to see the look on Dad's face when I came back to the village a hero…" He sniffled again, and punched the dirt. "Waaaah!"

"Hellooo!" called a voice from the other side. "Is somebody there? Hellooo! If you're there, say something!"

"Huh?" Ivor said. He turned to me and said, "It sounds like there's someone on the other side!" I rolled my eyes- had he thought I had not heard the voice? - but he had already turned back to the wall."Hey! I'm over here," he called. "It's me, Ivor from Angel Falls. No doubt you've heard of me!" I could not restrain a snort. "Jings!" said the voice. "Someone from Angel Falls! We're soldiers sent from Stornway. King Schott sent us to clear the landslide."

Ivor turned to me. "Blimey!" he said. "The King of Stornway must really rate Angel Falls to bother helping us out like that."

"Aye," I agreed. "I suppose that means we're not really needed here, then," he continued. "Huh! Now I wish we hadn't bothered coming all this way." As we turned to leave, one of the soldiers called, "Wait! There's an urgent matter we need to ask you about." We turned back. "What is it, sir?" I called. "Do you know if a lass called Patty made her way to your village just after the earthquake? She works at the inn in Stornway, but she took off one day for Angel Falls and we've heard nothing of her since."

"Patty?" Ivor said. I could only shrug. "Nope, doesn't ring any bells," Ivor said. "Why would she come to Angel Falls anyway?" I could imagine the soldier shrugging as he replied, "Aye, well, rumour has it that that she was on her way there through the Hexagon. The path there's been blocked too, though, so we've no way of finding out where she is."

Ivor turned to me. "The Hexagon?" he said. "That old ruin we had to go traipsing all the way through before this pass was built? No one goes there anymore. It's jam-packed with monsters and falling apart so badly it might come down on your head!"

He turned back to the soldiers behind the landslide. "There's no way a woman would go through there alone," he said. "The rumours must be wrong." I heard a sigh from behind the wall of land. "Alright, well, perhaps you could just relay to your village the fact that the road will be open again soon. And if you could ask around about Patty while you're there, that'd be grand."

"No problemo!" Ivor responded. "Just leave it to me. You can always count on Ivor!" He turned to me then. "Come on, Zera," he said. "Home time! I reckon they'll be pretty pleased to hear the news." And we returned.

When we were nearly halfway back to the village, I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my rear. "Augh!" I cried, turning. A teeny sanguini fluttered behind me, a small scrap of my top on its teeth. "What is it?" Ivor asked turning. "The monster bit me in the rear end," I muttered. Ivor tried and failed to restrain a laugh. I smacked Ivor in the back of the head, hoping to make him stop, but I only succeeded in making him laugh harder.

Then, suddenly, the teeny sanguini lunged at me. I drew my sword in an instant and I struck out as the monster attempted to bite my neck. Ivor's sword was now out as well, and as the teeny sanguini reeled from my attack, he finished it off with a stab through the gut. It exploded into dust, and Ivor and I split the coins it dropped.

I cocked my head to the side as I had an idea. There was a healing spell Aquila had shown me…. Feeling rather embarrassed, I put a hand behind me, palm facing where the monster had bit me. "What are you doing?" Ivor asked. "Trying something," I replied. I closed my eyes and motioned gently with my hand. My hand, as well as the area where the monster had bit me, went pleasantly warm. A moment later, the twinge of pain from the teeth faded. I smiled, and we set off.

"It bit you in the butt!" he laughed as we continued walking. I put my left hand on the handle of my sword. "I can send you down the same path as that monster," I warned him. After that, he tried slightly harder to restrain his amusement.

We went to Ivor's home before any other and explained what we had heard. "I see," he said when we finished. "So the soldiers from Stornway should have the pass cleared for us before long."

"That's right," Ivor said. "Everyone will be so pleased to hear the news. Ivor saves the day, eh?" I sighed. Was there no way to make him more humble?"

Don't be ridiculous!" Litlun said. Ivor jumped. "You were foolish to go all the way out there, just the two of you. Utterly foolish!" Ivor seemed exceedingly confused, and flustered as well. "B-but!" he said. "Why are you so angry? If we hadn't gone to the landslide, you'd never have known it was about to be cleared."

"So what?" Litlun said angrily. "If I didn't know now, I'd have found out soon enough. Knowing a little bit sooner is hardly worth risking your life for. That's why I'm angry. That's why you're foolish."

"…Gah! Fine!…" Ivor said. Then he snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah, there was something else. Something I heard from one of the soldiers. They want us to find some girl called Patty who went missing on her was here."

Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside, and Erinn raced into view. "Wait a minute!" she said. "Is that true?" Ivor very nearly leapt out of his skin as Erinn joined us around the table. "Erinn! What are you doing here?" he asked. "What do you think?" Erinn retorted. "I'm here because I heard you whisked Zera off on some silly adventure!" I began to protest, but Erinn continued speaking.

"Anyway, never mind that," she said. "Is it true that Patty from Stornway has gone missing?"

"Ah, yes," Litlun said. "You're from Stornway originally, aren't you, Erinn? Do you know the woman?" Erinn bit her lip. "I seem to remember my dad talking about someone called Patty from his days in Stornway. Oh, dear! Maybe she didn't know he'd passed away and she was coming here to see him." I could see the shadow of pain on her face as she spoke of her father, but it vanished the next moment.

"Hmm…" said Litlun. "Well, I can understand everyone's concerns, but we can't very well send off a search party with no lead to go on."

"Actually," Ivor interrupted, "the soldier said something about how she might've been on her way here through the Hexagon." Litlun's eyes widened. "Is that so?" he asked. "Well, even if that is the case, we still can't be of any help. The Hexagon is far too dangerous nowadays." He turned to Erinn. "Erinn, why don't you take Zera home now? Try not to worry her too much." He turned to fix Ivor with a steely glare. "I'd appreciate a bit of privacy so I can talk some sense into this pig-headed son of mine."

"T-there's no need for that, Dad!" he spluttered. Erinn and I left the house as Litlun began berating Ivor. When we returned to the house, Erinn led me up to her room. "I was so worried when I'd heard you'd left the village, Zera," she said. "You seen to be unscathed, though. You're obviously a lot tougher than I thought." I nodded in acceptance of her praise.

"Speaking of which, um…I wondered if I could ask you a favour, Zera," Erinn said. "Certainly," I replied. "What do you wish to ask?"

"You see," she said, "I'm quite worried about all this talk of Patty going missing. So I was wondering if you could-" She broke off, then, shaking her head. "Oh, never mind!" she said. "The Hexagon is really far too dangerous. I couldn't possibly ask that much of you." She sighed. "I'm obviously worried about Patty, but it's far too dangerous to go off to the Hexagon looking for her. All we can do is pray to the Almighty to keep her safe."

As I watched, she bowed her head. "Guardian Zera," she prayed, "please watch over Patty and see that she comes to no harm."

I shivered and left the house.

Soon I stood before the Guardian statue once more, trying to push the mental sounds of several prayers to the back of my mind. They were all the same: the people of Angel Falls were praying for Patty.

I kneeled before the statue. _I know not what I am to do,_ I prayed. _Show me the way, Almighty, please. Where can I go from here? I have no way of returning to the Observatory and my brethren, and I know not if I have the strength to see to Patty's safety._ Then the memory of the Starflight Express filled my mind. Perhaps I could return to the Observatory inside it! But first, I needed to fulfil the prayers of my flock. Tomorrow, I decided, would see me in the Hexagon.

"See you later, Zera," Erinn said as I left her house the next morn. "Don't push yourself too hard, will you?" I struggled to restrain my laughter as I replied, "Do not worry about me, Erinn."

I decided to first visit the village shop. I wished to purchase a new shirt, as my Celestrian top now had a hole over the rear.

I found a knee-length, sleeveless blue top with an attached hooded cape. It looked rather simple; however, I was sure it would serve. Then, something caught my eyes.

It was a feathered fan. I had never used a fan as my weapon; but looking at it, I felt rather attracted to the idea. So I purchased both items. I changed in the back, tucked my new weapon into my belt, and left for the Hexagon.

It was a fair, warm day, but when I entered the ruins a half-hour after leaving Angel Falls, the temperature felt as though it had dropped ten degrees. I shivered and pulled the cape of my new shirt over my bare shoulders and pulled the hood over my head. As I walked forwards, I drew my new fan and opened it up. The ruins had a dangerous feel to them.

Directly in my path, blocking a doorway, stood a stone. I approached it to read the inscription. Path ahead sealed due to beast-related fatalities, it read. Suddenly, I felt a chill and turned to look.

A ghost stood behind me, one I recognised well: Edwinn, Erinn's father. He said nothing, but turned and walked away. I followed him, sure that he was showing me something. He led me up a side passage. At the end stood an odd statue. Edwinn stopped to the side. When he spoke, it sounded as though each word took terrible effort. "On the…back of…this statue…" And upon saying this, he faded away. I examined the back of the statue, and found a button upon the back of its neck. When I pressed it, I heard a loud grinding sound from the area of the stone. I rushed back out to see that the stone had moved away from the door.

Beyond it, there were two descending staircases- one to the left, and one to the right. I first took the left, but it led to a dead end. So I ascended the stairs and took the right.

As I moved through the chilly passages of the ruin, I could see vaporous monsters hovering in the shadows; but many of them vanished as I approached.

Finally, I reached a large chamber. In the centre, a young woman sat, struggling to shift the rocks that pinned her to the ground. I rushed to her. "Oh, my- I never expected to bump into anyone all the way down here!" she said. "Hey, sweetie, you couldn't be a hero and shift some of this rubble for me, could ya? I'm not badly hurt or anything, but I'm kinda stuck here, ya know? And I don't fancy being around when that beast comes back."

As I moved to shift the rubble, I asked, "What beast?" Before the woman could answer, I felt the chamber shake. My head snapped up to see a dark shape in a cloud of dust. "Oh, brother!" the woman said. "It's back!"

As the dust cleared, the figure of a large pinkish-hided beast appeared. "What is this thing?" I asked the woman, my voice shaking slightly. "It's a Hexagoon," she told me. "I got trapped trying to run away from this guy and not looking where I was going. Watch your head, sweetie!"

I stepped around the woman and the rubble, holding my fan before me. I needed to keep the woman safe as I fought the beast. After a second's pause, I charged the beast and sliced down its flank. It snarled as it turned to follow me, and swung its head at me. Its horns caught me across the right arm, and I gritted my teeth.

I cut it next across the nose. It roared- mainly in anger, it seemed to me. Rather than charging as I expected it to, however, it reared up and crashed its enormous feet to the floor of the chamber. I looked up in alarm as several large rocks fell from the ceiling. I dodged to the side, but one of the smaller rocks hit me on the head. I cursed softly as I charged the beast once more.

The battle dragged on for what seemed to me an age. I felt myself lucky that I had remembered Aquila's healing spell when I had been out with Ivor; had I not been able to heal myself several times, I doubtless would have perished.

The battle finally ended when I delivered a critically strong blow to a soft spot on the Hexagoon's neck. The beast reeled back, whimpering; then it fell to the ground. It soon grew completely silent.

I turned back to the woman, suddenly exhausted. The woman now stood straight and tall- evidently, she had freed herself. "You're tougher than you look," she complimented me. "Thank you," I replied tiredly. The woman smiled. "Thanks for saving my hide there. You're a doll. Ya know, I managed to shake myself free in all the chaos. So, let's get outta here, huh? Being attacked by monsters is such a drag!"

She turned to leave, and I followed her from the ruins. When we reached the outside, she turned to me. "Phew!" she said. "We're safe now, I guess. Ya know, I'm just not a dark ruins type of gal! I'm Patty, by the way. I run the inn over in Stornway. And you are?"

"My name is Zera," I told her. "I live in Angel Falls for the moment." Patty's eyes widened then. "Ah! That reminds me," she said. "I've got to get to Angel Falls right away. See ya, sweetie! And thanks a bunch for your help!"

She turned and headed down the path to the village. I stood before the ruins for a moment longer, then decided to follow her back. I would be able to rest in the village, and at the moment, a rest was exactly what I needed.

When I reached the village nearly an hour later, I decided to first check at the inn to see if Patty and Erinn were speaking there. Perhaps I could discover what had prompted Patty to come to the village through such a dangerous route.

Patty stood before the desk, arms crossed, looking around. "Uh-huh, this is Edwinn's place, alright!" she said. "No one else knew how to do it quite like he did. The original host with the most!"

"Did you know my father, then?" Erinn asked. Then her eyes brightened with comprehension. "Oh! You must be Patty! I was so worried about you. I heard that someone called Patty had gone missing on their way here."

"Yup, that's me, honey!" Patty said. She was smiling. "You were worried, huh? That's sweet. And I can't believe you remembered my name. You were so tiny. So…where's old Edwinn hiding, huh?" She looked about the inn then, as though expecting him to be hiding in a corner. I felt a lump rise in my throat as I realised Erinn had been right: Patty did not know of Edwinn's demise.

Erinn looked down. "Ah," she murmured. "I thought you were probably coming to see him. I'm afraid that he's no longer with us…. It was two years ago now…" I could see a tear in her eye as she said the words.

Patty appeared shocked in the extreme. "Huh? No longer with us…? You mean he's passed away?" Erinn nodded. "Sadly, yes."

"Wow," Patty said. "I, I can't believe it…so the Inncredible…that's…gee, what does that mean for my old inn, then?" She looked to be at loose ends for a moment. Then I saw a flash of something in her eyes. "I guess if Edwinn's gone, that mean's you're running this place all on you own, huh?"

"Um, well, yes," Erinn said. She looked distinctly confused. Patty turned away, scanning the room. "It's not the biggest inn in the world, but it's so quaint. I bet the guests here feel more welcome than in their own homes!"

Erinn smiled, though she still looked confused. "That's very kind of you. I try to do my best to honour my father's memory by keeping the place running smoothly." Without turning around, Patty said, "Hey, I wouldn't expect anything else from the daughter of the Inncredible Inntertainer, honey!"

"Um," Erinn said cautiously, "about his 'Inncredible' thing…?" Not seeming to hear, Patty turned around. "Hey, I don't suppose you'd wanna give running an inn in Stornway a shot, do ya?"

"Um…I beg your pardon!"

"Follow me, honey," Patty said, heading to the single bedroom of the inn. "I've got some stuff to tell you." She looked at me as she passed. "You come along too, Zera," she said. Erinn and I followed her into the room.

As we gathered around the small table, Erinn said, "So when Dad was in Stornway, people used to call him the 'Inncredible Inntertainer'?"

"You better believe it, honey!" Patty said. "He was the best of the best! He was only a young guy back then, but he set up hid own inn from scratch and totally put his rivals out of business!"

"Goodness!" Erinn said. "I can't imagine him being like that." It took effort to keep from nodding in agreement. Erinn did not know I was truly their Guardian, after all; it would seem odd to her that the strange minstrel knew of her father. Erinn continued: "He always seemed so unadventurous to me, and he said he was happy to run even the smallest of inns as long as we were together."

"Yeah, that's the funny thing…" Patty said. "Why would a guy like Edwinn choose to ship out to a hick town like this?" Erinn said nothing. Nor did I; I had no more idea than she or Patty.

"Well, I guess that's water under the bridge," Patty said. "The thing is, his old place in Stornway is in real trouble right now. We were all kinda hoping that the Inncredible Inntertainer would make a comeback and get things back on track again…" She sighed.

"I just can't believe I didn't know he died two whole years ago," she continued after a moment. "I mean, gee! I'm so sorry, honey," she added, looking at Erinn kindly. Erinn shook her head. "Not at all," she said. "I'm just sorry that you came all this way for nothing."

"Hey, no apology needed," Patty said, waving it off. "I mean, I got to meet you instead, right? You're coming back with me to Stornway." Erinn bit her lip. "Um…" she said hesitantly, "I don't think that's possible. I have my hands full with this place as it is. And I just find it hard to believe that Dad was some kind of legendary innkeeper."

"Hard to believe?" Patty asked, obviously incredulous. "You can't argue with the facts, honey. And I can see you're a chip off the old block, too. I've got a knack for seeing people's strengths, ya know."

Erinn looked around- a bit wildly, it seemed to me. "Oh, dear," she said. "It's getting late and I really need to get started on supper. Excuse me." She turned to the door. "And I can't go to Stornway with you, so stop trying to persuade me!" With that, she raced out the door so quickly that I felt my cape move slightly in response.

Patty moved to the doorway and leaned against it, her arms folded. "A stubborn one, huh?" she said, seemingly to herself. "Don't worry, sweetie, you'll see sense before long!" Then she turned to face me. "Hey…" she said. Then she smiled. "Yeah, I thought I recognised you. You're the girl who helped me out back at the ruins, right?" I nodded. "I am glad to see you made it here safely," I said. Patty nodded. "Well, thanks again for that," she said. "You know, while you're in the helping mood, honey, you couldn't try to twist Erinn's arm, could you? I can't let that kind of talent go to waste. It'd be good for her too, you know?"

"I suppose I could try," I said doubtfully. I rather believed that Erinn wished to go, at least deep down. However, I could imagine how the prospect frightened her. It would be difficult to convince her to follow her heart rather than her head.I left the inn for Erinn's home. But, blocking the door stood Edwinn. He faced away from me, looking at the door. "Greetings to you," I said, and he leapt into the air. "Waaah!" he cried, turning. "You g-gave me a fright! D-don't do that again, will you?"

"Gladly," I said. Then Edwinn seemed to realise something. "Wait a minute!" he said. "You can see me?" I merely nodded. "But I'm dead!" I nodded again. After a moment, he appeared to calm and looked at me curiously. "I had a feeling that you could see me back at the Hexagon, too," he said. "That's quite a strange talent you've got there. Sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm Erinn's father, Edwinn. I fell ill two years ago and died suddenly. But as you can see, I still haven't managed to leave this mortal realm entirely. And you are?"

"I am Zera," I told him. His eyes widened, and he looked towards the Guardian statue. Then he looked back at me. "…Really? R-really?" he asked. "B-but…Zera…isn't that…? Aren't you the village Guardian?"

I merely nodded once more. Then suddenly, a feminine voice from my right called, "Hey! Hang on a minute!" Edwinn and I looked over to see a blond faerie flying towards us at top speed. Before I was able to move, she flew into my shoulder. "Ow!" I cried.

"Ouch! Oi, watch where you're flapping standing!" said the faerie indignantly. "I may be skinny as a rake, but I still need a bit of room for manoeuvres! Never mind, I forgive you. Now, old man! What was that rubbish you were just sprouting?"

She said all of this extremely fast.I could do naught but blink, and could not blame Edwinn for seeming a bit nonplussed as he responded, "I, er…I'm not sure what you mean."

"You were on about Celestrians, right?" asked the faerie. "I wondered the same thing at first, but this mess of a minstrel hardly foots the bill! I don't see a halo, do you? And I don't see any wings, either. Bit odd for a Celestrian, that, wouldn't you say?"

I understood the faerie's line of thinking. "I suppose you're right," Edwinn said. "Though, while we're on the subject of odd, who and what are you?"

"Ha! Wouldn't you like to know," said the faerie. She looked at us for a moment. I raised my brows. "…Yes, I suppose you would," she said. "Then I'd better introduce myself. Wait for it…I am the supreme, stupendous Stella, stunning skipper of the sky-soaring Starflight Express! Ta daa!"

_And ever so humble, as well,_ I thought. "Er, I…see," said Edwinn. He was evidently nonplussed. Stella ignored him and turned to me. "Right then, your turn," she said. "Time to fly your true colours and tell us who you really are. You look like a regular mortal to me, so how come you can see the Starflight Express and ghosts like this old bloke?"

I took a breath to steady myself before launching into my tale. As I spoke, I felt my worry for the others-especially Aquila- overwhelm me once more. I struggled to control it as I continued.

"Sounds like a bit of a tall yarn, if you ask me," Stella said when I'd finished. "If you lost your wings and halo, how is it that you can still see ghosts and the like? Bit neither here nor there, isn't it?" Before I could speak, she continued: "I know! If you're a Celestrian, then prove it. Send someone's spirit up to the heavens. You've got nothing to lose, and this old bloke here just happens to be in need of a shove in the righteous direction."

"Wait!" Edwinn said. "Are you talking about me? I'm not exactly happy as I am, but…" He spread his hands apart, obviously uncertain how to express his thoughts. "Let me guess, you're only a ghost because you've got some unfinished business to put to sleep, right?" Stella asked. Edwinn nodded.

Stella turned to me then. "Alright then, help this spook here to tie up his loose ends and then send him on his way," she said. "Then I'll believe you're a Celestrian, and I might even give you a ride back up to the Observatory on the old Starflight Express. Can't say faerier than that, right?" At her words, I felt excitement rise within me. I would soon be returning to the Observatory! Perhaps Apus Major would know how to assist me in regaining my wings and halo. And- I would discover if Aquila was safe. I nodded enthusiastically.

"So I'll tag along with you for a while until the job's done," Stella said. "While we're at it, I should probably warn you that I'll be keeping tags on you while I'm tabbing along." I nodded in agreement, and we both turned to face Edwinn.

"Well, this is all rather strange," he said. I smiled. "Indeed," I agreed. He laughed once. "Still, I appreciate your willingness to help." He looked into the distance. I was stuck by how much he resembled Erinn when he did that. "Hmm…" he said. "I wonder what unfinished business is stopping me from going up to the heavens. I don't suppose…I wonder if it's something to do with that thing I buried behind the inn."

He didn't appear to be paying any more attention to my new faerie companion and me. "Shall we search behind the inn, then?" I suggested. "Sounds good," Stella said. "Lead the way!"

There was not enough space behind the inn itself for anyone to go, so I decided to search upon the grassy ledge by the falls. A small bump beneath a bush caught my eye, and I dug there. Perhaps an inch below the surface, I uncovered something golden. "Would you give me some assistance, Stella?" I asked. She fluttered down and assisted me in uncovering the whole of a large golden trophy. I rubbed away some dirt on the base to see an inscription: Awarded to Edwinn by HRH King Schott of Stornway for Inncredible achievements in Inntertainment. "This must be it!" Stella cheered. Clasping the award to my chest, I sprinted back to where Edwinn waited. Breathing heavily, I showed it to him."That's it!" Edwinn said. "That's my Inny! Goodness, that takes me back a bit." He smiled, but the smile faded as he continued speaking. "The truth is, I hid it away when I came back to Angel Falls. I didn't want Erinn to know. And I didn't want to spend my whole time being reminded about Stornway…" He sighed.

"Erinn was very weak as a child," he told us. "I came back to live in Angel Falls for her sake. It was what my late wife wanted- what Erinn's mother wanted. So I brought the poor thing here just after her mother passed away, and I hid the trophy where no one could find it. I wonder how she'll react when she sees it." He sighed once more, and Stella and I entered Erinn's house. I found her up in her room, standing before the small table. She looked up as Stella and I entered. "What's up, Zera?" she asked. "What's that trophy you've got there?"

By way of explanation, I handed her the Inny. She read the inscription, mouthing the words. "An award for being an Inncredible Inntertainer…from the King of Stornway? To my father? I don't believe it! Patty's story was all true!" Then she lowered the Inny.

"I don't understand, though," she murmured. "Why would Dad have given up all that to come here to sleepy Angel Falls? What in the world was he thinking of?"

"I may be able to shed a little light on that," came a voice from behind us. I turned, and Erinn looked up. Flinn stood in the doorway. "Grandpa?" Erinn asked, surprise colouring her tone. Flinn walked to the table. "Edwinn made me promise not to say anything, so I've kept it a secret all there years, but I don't see that it matters now." He sighed.

"Dear Erinn, you must remember how sickly you were as a child," he began. "Your poor mother was the same. In the normal course of things, you would have become sicker and sicker as you got older. Eventually, you would have died. We lost your mother at a young age to the same fate."

"But I'm perfectly healthy," Erinn protested. "I hardly even remember being sick anymore."

"That's because you were brought up on water from the falls here in the village," Flinn told her. "Angel Falls' water is famous for making people healthy and curing their ills." Erinn looked down at the table. "So…what you're saying is that Dad gave up his inn in Stornway and came back here for my sake?" she asked softly.

"That's right," Flinn said. "Saving his daughter was far more important to him than his own ambitions." Erinn looked up. "But that's terrible!" she cried. "I stood in the way of my father and his dreams."

"He knew you'd feel that way," Flinn said. "That's why he didn't want you to know. But you're mature enough now to be told the truth." Erinn nodded, looking off towards the wall. "You know, I always wondered why he sometimes had that faraway look on his face," she murmured. "Now I know…he did all that for me…"

She turned to me then. "Um, Zera," she said. "It looks like I'm going to be leaving for Stornway. I don't know if I can be of any help to Patty, but I have to at least give it a try!" She smiled as she said it, and left the room. I followed her a moment later. Edwinn stood in the hall. "You there, grandad?" Stella asked. "I'm here," Edwinn said. "I heard everything. I can't believe Erinn is going to follow my ambition in my place. She really has grown up. Now I have no regrets. I know that she'll succeed. She doesn't need me watching over her shoulder."

His form began to glow softly. "It looks like I'm ready to leave," he said, beginning to rise. "Than you so much, my honoured Guardian." He closed his eyes, and tilted his head back. Joy suffused his features as the glowing grew to an unbearable brightness, and I shielded my eyes. A moment later, the glow faded. Edwinn had gone to the heavens.

"He's gone!" Stella said. "Indeed," I murmured, smiling. She turned to me. "You did it! So you are a Celestrian, after all. Well, a promise is a promise. I'll give you a lift back to the Observatory like we agreed, as say thanks to your lucky stars."

She fluttered to where Edwinn had stood. "Hang on to your horses a minute- shouldn't you be picking up that benevolessence?" she asked. I looked. "What benevolessence?" I asked her. There was nothing there but floor. "You can flapping see it, can't you?" Stella asked. "Don't tell me you can't see benevolessence anymore!"

"I have already said: I see nothing there," I told her. Stella sighed. "Now I'm starting to wonder again… are you really a Celestrian, or are you pulling my chain?" She picked something up off the floor and handed it to me. I could feel the crystal in my hand, but I could not see it."It does not matter right now," I said with a sigh. "I need to sleep." And thus saying, I went into my room and lay down. I was asleep the next moment.

/\*/\

Three days later, the pass was clear once more. Erinn, Patty, Flinn, Stella, and I were gathered outside of Erinn's house. I was tired; my nightmares had continued, and I had awoken before dawn, unable to return to sleep. Off to the side, Ivor paced back and forth, an angry expression on his face.

"I'll miss you, Grandpa," Erinn said. "You take care of yourself, won't you?" Flinn smiled. "You, too," he said. "It'll be hard work making a living in a new town. Make sure you don't go working yourself sick."

Patty smiled and put her hand on Erinn's shoulder. "I know you're worried about your little girl, but I'm gonna be around to help her out, so you just relax, okay?" she said reassuringly. Flinn nodded. "That's good to know, Patty," he said. "You've helped to set an old man's mind at ease."

Erinn turned to Ivor, who was still pacing. "Ivor! Can I have a word?" she called. Ivor turned. "What do you want to talk to me for?" he asked angrily. "You're leaving, so you obviously don't care." A shadow passed over Erinn's features, but it passed a moment later. "I was wondering if you might take over the inn here for me. I don't have the heart to close it down, you see. You'll do it, won't you? I know I can count on you!"

Ivor shrugged, but I could see eagerness in his eyes. "I suppose I'll do it," he said, "but only to get Dad off my back with his nagging about me finding a job. I'm not doing it for you! Anyway, I bet I'll be so good at innkeeping that I'll soon trump your place over in Stornway!"

Erinn smiled. "And I wish you luck with it," she said. "Not that I'll let you get the better of me, of course!"

"Oh, yeah?" Ivor asked. "Sounds like we've got a competition on our hands!" Erinn laughed, then turned to me. "Zera, I can't thank you enough for what you've done," she said. "It's amazing how you managed to find Dad's hidden trophy like that. You really are a mystery. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be our Guardian after all…"

She shook her head then, as if to clear it. "Ha ha! Listen to me and my wild imagination! I suppose you'll be heading off to your home to your hometown now, will you? If your journey brings you through Stornway, make sure you come and stay at my new inn, won't you?"

"Of course, Erinn," I said, smiling. "I am sure it would be the best night's rest I will ever experience!"

Erinn smiled. "I'd better get going, then," she said, sighing. "Goodbye, everyone. And thank you for everything!" She looked to Patty, and they turned to leave. Patty's hand still rested upon Erinn's shoulder, and I smiled. I was certain Erinn would do well with her new inn. Flinn went back inside, and Ivor headed off- presumably to tell his father of his new job.

"Time for us to make some tracks, too," Stella said. I looked at her. "You remember where the Starflight Express is, presumably?" I nodded. "Of course," I said. "No need to look so flapping pleased with yourself!" Stella said. "I hardly expected you to forget. Come on, let's head for the pass!"

We set off through the village. As we went, Stella talked continuously, but I paid little attention. I was preoccupied by the thought of leaving the Protectorate. Oddly, it did not fill me with the excitement I had anticipated.

I had grown to truly like the mortal realm, and the people I knew in it. I wished to visit Patty and Erinn someday, to see how they were getting on with the inn. But I knew that if I regained my halo and wings, I would most likely become invisible to them once more, and I would be confined to Angel Falls. There would be no possibility of visiting Erinn, no chance to explore the rest of this realm. Truly, it was a bittersweet journey.

When we reached the Starflight, I could read the excitement upon Stella's face. "Here we are," she said. "All aboard!" And she pushed open the door. I followed her in, curious to see the inside of the celestial carriage.

There was much yellow, naturally. At the front of the car stood a console covered in many buttons. I did not envy the one who had to learn what they all did. "So here we are on the Starflight," said Stella. She sounded as though she were giving a tour. "What do you reckon? Pretty swish, isn't she?" She turned then to examine the interior.

"I'd like to jazz her up a bit more, actually," she said. "It's still a bit on the plain side, wouldn't you say? I'm thinking pink rhinestones with gold around them. That'd really make the place look stellar, don't you think?"

I personally did not think so. I had a liking for darker colours, and the picture she had painted had me overly dazzled. She looked back to me, and frowned, seeing my expression. "…What?" she asked. "Not bothered about my amazing interior design ideas, eh? I suppose you just want to get going, do you?" Before I could answer in any way, she continued: "Fine, fine. No more hanging about. I'm pretty keen to get back to the Observatory and see how everything is, myself."She fluttered up to the console, and I followed. I had fluttering of my own- in my stomach. I was eager to see whether Aquila was safe, and the others, but I was uncertain whether I was prepared to leave the mortal realm.

"Here we go, then," Stella said. "Iiiiit's TAKE-OFF TIME!" She slapped a button on the console. The train groaned, rumbled- and went silent.

"…Oh, flap," said Stella. "We have a problem. I thought it would fly if there was a Celestrian on board. I wonder what's wrong…" She sighed, then turned to me with a glint in her eyes. "Hey, you couldn't see that benevolessence before, could you, even though you reckon you're a Celestrian? That must be the problem!" She put her hands upon her hips. "I mean, it's a bit much to expect me to believe that Celestrians can just lose their halos and wings, isn't it?"

"I suppose so," I said. "I would not have believed it if it had not happened to me.""Ha!" Stella said. "Talk about being to honest-to-goodness for your own good!" She turned away then. "Anyway, we don't have time for this. The Almighty won't be best pleased if we hang around here while there's big stuff going on. "Ooooiiii, Almighty, matey!" she called then. "You listening? We're in a right old gherkin here, why don't you give us a flapping hand?"

I highly doubted she'd get her hand if she spoke to the Almighty- the Almighty! - in such an impertinent tone, though I kept that opinion to myself. There was a time and place to say things, and this was not it.

However, Stella seemed to realise something was wrong. "That's weird…" she mused. "He's probably too busy to notice us or something…" With that, she turned back to me. "Alright, then, Zera, here's what we'll do: we'll follow the road to this Stornway place. When we get there, we'll help lots of people and get loads of benevolessence. That should make that Almighty oaf prick his eyes up!"

My own eyes widened at the way she spoke of the Almighty. "Ha!" Stella said. "Look at your face! Not too swayed over by the idea or something? Well, tough turkey! I've decided that's what we're doing, so get moving!" She all but shoved me out of the Starflight before I could say a word. Secretly, I was rather pleased. I would be able to visit Erinn, after all!


	2. Chapter 2

It was only fifteen minute's journey through the pass before Stornway came into view. It was a large walled city, with a great palace to the northern end. Even from nearly a quarter-mile away, I could hear a low drone of conversation from the streets.

There were a great many monsters nearby. It bothered me, but none of them attacked us. As I looked at them, I decided that I would purchase a notebook and something to write and draw with while we were in Stornway. It would be interesting to record information about all the monsters I came across.

Immediately to our left as we entered the city was an inn. Erinn and Patty stood outside. My eyes brightened as I saw them, but I did not rush up to them as I wished to. They were speaking with one another.

"Hey, Erinn, what's up?" Patty asked. "Not nervous, are you, honey?" Erinn looked at the cobbles beneath her feet. "I'm afraid so," she admitted. "I just can't see how a young girl like me can suddenly take over such a big and important inn. And surely everyone else will be thinking exactly the same thing…"

"Sure, maybe they will," Patty said, lifting Erinn's chin so she was forced to look into Patty's face. "But I trust my instincts- and you should, too! I know you've got what it takes, Erinn. Seriously, just quit worrying!"

"If you say so," Erinn said doubtfully. Patty smiled. "Now, time to introduce you to your new colleagues!" she said. She strode to the door, opening it wide, and called, "Hey, guys! I'm back! And I've brought a big, shiny ray of hope with me!" She entered the inn, and Erinn followed.

"This should be good for a laugh," Stella said. I glared at her, but she did not notice. "Come on, let's follow them in there and see how Erinn gets on." She glided to the door and entered, and I followed her after a moment, attempting to suppress the urge to slap her. I did not need to lose my temper over a silly motor-mouthed faerie.

Erinn and Patty stood before a table. Four other people were in the room as well. As I entered, a redheaded woman spoke: "Honestly, Patty, what were you thinking?" Erinn was staring at the floorboards. "This slip of a girl's going to run the inn, is she? We're on the brink of closing as it is. Are you trying to finish us off?"

"Jeez, Ginny, calm down, will ya?" Patty asked. "D'you think I'd pick just any young thing off the street to run this place? Erinn here has innkeeping in her blood. She'll have us back on track before you can say 'welcome'!"

Ginny put her hands on her hips. "Didn't you say the same thing about me when you brought me here?" she asked. "And didn't you say you were going to find 'the one guy who can save this place for certain'? No offence, but I'm not too convinced this is the 'guy' you were talking about." She turned away.

"Please, just give me a chance!" Erinn said, her head coming up. "You won't find anyone who'll work harder than me. And I learnt all there is to know about innkeeping from my father!" Ginny turned back to face her.

"So your father was an innkeeper too, was he?" she asked. Erinn nodded. "And I suppose you're here to make your daddy proud, hm? Well, that's very admirable, but running an inn isn't just as easy as showing up and promising to try hard, you know. And you can talk all you like about how much your father taught you, but we don't even know who your father was."

Patty turned to look at Erinn, smiling. "There it is!" she said. "The challenge we've been waiting for. Now's the time to show her, honey!" Erinn looked at Patty. She seemed confused. "Um…show what?" she asked. Then her eyes brightened. "Oh! You mean this?"

She bent down and pulled Edwinn's Inny out of her bag. Ginny and the others standing across from Erinn and Patty looked shocked. "W-wait!" she said. "That trophy…it's…!" Patty nodded, a smug smile on her face. "It sure is!" she said. "Now tell me you doubt how good he was! And Erinn here shares the same Inncredible blood! Not bad, huh?" she asked.

Ginny and the others bowed. I struggled to restrain laughter at the sight. "Th-the Inncredible Inntertainer's daughter…oh…oh, my…!" Ginny said. Erinn looked uncertain as to what to do. "Um, it's okay, really," she said. "There's no need to bow or scrape or anything."

Still attempting to restrain my laughter, I went to speak to Patty and Erinn. "Oh, Zera!" Erinn exclaimed. "You came and visited just like you said you would! And so soon!" She looked down. "I'm afraid we've only just arrived ourselves, though. We're not quite ready to take any guests yet."

Patty turned to her. "Hey, don't sweat it, sweetie," she said. "I'm sure Zera didn't come here to stay." She turned to face me. "I bet you came 'cause you were worried about Erinn, huh? You wanted to see how she was getting along, right?" I nodded. "I wished to make sure you were doing all right," I said to Erinn. "After all, you helped me when I most needed it. I cannot thank you enough for that." Erinn blushed. "It was nothing," she said. "It was what anyone would have done." I smiled, but did not argue the point.

After a pause, Patty looked to me. "So, you're travelling all on your lonesome, huh, Zera?" she asked. I nodded. There would be no point denying it- she could not see Stella, after all. "That sure is risky, honey. Why don't you hang around here for a while till the inn's open? Come by later and I bet I'll be able to hook you up with some great guys who could help you out, okay?"

I thanked her. As I left the inn, Patty, Erinn, and those who were still there began to drift to their workplaces. I smiled as the door swung shut behind me.

"So you're travelling all on your lonesome, are you, Zera?" Stella asked, hands on her hips. I smiled. "You know they are not able to see you, Stella," I said. "It would be pointless to tell them that I had a companion."

Stella harrumphed and looked away as I walked. I restrained my laughter and hid my smile as we continued through the streets of Stornway.

As I walked, I noticed that the entire town seemed tense. Nearly every adult had a sword or some such, and even some of the older children had weapons of their own. Several people cautioned me, suggesting that I leave soon and be cautious on my journey away. Curious as to what was wrong, I looked to the message board in the centre of town after purchasing a bag, notebook, and fountain pen from an items shop. There was a large, official-looking notice tacked to the board:

_A mysterious knight in black armour is terrorising our town. If anyone is brave enough to fight him, come to the castle. Anyone will do._

_-King Schott of Stornway_

It was written in large letters, as though the one who had posted it wished to have most other news ignored in favour of his own notice. As I left the message board to wander about, I heard a shout from behind a large weapons shop. Curious, I rounded the corner of the shop, where I saw something rather surprising.

A lanky, dark-haired boy of perhaps fourteen was in a fair-sized grassy area behind the shop, going through what looked like a martial artist's form. He wore just a pair of short cotton pants, but there was a lump of tan material nearby that I assumed to be his shirt.

I watched for several moments, fascinated. Several times, the boy simply stood straight up. At those times, he looked rather uncoordinated and puppy-like, with too-big hands and feet. But when he began to move again, there was grace and evident strength behind each blow, despite how thin he was. I was intrigued.

As he turned, yelling with a kick, he spotted me. "I, er, I am sorry," I said, embarrassed. "I did not intend to watch. Who…who are you?" The question had slipped out before the reserved, Celestrian training I had received could make me leave.

Fortunately, the boy did not seem offended at my forwardness, such as it was. "I'm Connor," he said. "You?"

"My name is Zera," I told him. He raised his dark brows. "That's a…unusual name," he said. I nodded. "I have heard that opinion before."

Connor retrieved his shirt from where it lay on the ground and slipped it over his head as he walked towards me. "You're not from here, are you?" he asked. "Nay," I said. "I travelled here from Angel Falls very recently. Connor nodded. "And you are from here?" I asked, truly curious. "Zera, what the flap are you doing?" asked Stella, but I ignored her.

"Yeah," Connor replied. "Stornway born and bred, though I've been to Coffinwell a fair bit."

"Coffinwell?" I asked in surprise. I knew little about cities aside from Angel Falls, but I had heard that Coffinwell was a distance away. "Yes," Connor said. "My cousin, aunt, and uncle all live there."

"What is it like?" I asked. I had always wished to visit everywhere in the Protectorate, and learning things about the different cities interested me. Besides, I rather wished to continue speaking with Connor.

"It's…a bit dull," Connor told me. "The weather's always a bit cool, even in summer. That can be nice, though."

"I would imagine so," I said. I had experienced summers in Angel Falls, and they could be very hot. I imagined Stornway must be the same- would be the same, very soon. Summer was approaching.

We continued speaking for what felt like a very short time, though it must have been nearly an hour. It surprised me how naturally the conversation came- I, like Aquila, had always been of a solitary bent, and other beings in general often irritated me- but Connor was easy to speak with.

Stella pestered me throughout the conversation, but I found it easy to ignore her. I was enjoying myself, and no silly faerie would stop that!

We were forced to stop all too soon, or so I felt. As we spoke of monsters- he seemed interested in the idea of recording them- I heard a surprised voice from behind me: "Well! Looks like it's two birds with one stone today!"

It was Patty. "Hello, Patty," I said as I turned. "What birds?"

"You know Patty?" asked Connor, surprised. "Yes," I replied. "We met while she was in Angel Falls."

"Ah. What's up, Patty?"

Patty smiled. "Well, honey, I said I'd try to find you a job with some adventure," she said to Connor. Then she spoke to me: "And I told you I'd hook you up with some companions."

My eyes widened as I realised what she was saying. "And Connor is one of the companions?"

Patty beamed. "That's right, honey!" she said. "And there are two more back at the Quester's Rest. Follow me!"

As we entered the Quester's Rest, I briefly noticed that it seemed to be up and running. However, I only had a moment to take it in, for Patty waved to two figures and one of them- who was rather smaller than the other- hurtled over and a second later, her arms were flung around my waist. She began to speak excitedly, and as rapidly as Stella.

"Ooh, I'm so glad to meet you, when Patty told me someone needed companions I was so excited! I'm Opal, what's your name?"

She said this very quickly.

"Erm…" I said, staring down at the dark-pigtailed head that did not come above my shoulders. Celestrians were reserved by nature and by custom, and the exuberance Opal was showing was not something I was at all accustomed to. Patty was chuckling, and Connor and the tall, slim girl with shoulder-length blue hair both looked surprised.

"Oi!" Stella exclaimed. "Well, she's right flapping friendly, isn't she?"

"I…I am glad to meet you, Opal," I said. Opal let go of my waist and looked up me, beaming widely. Her white teeth stood out strongly against her chocolate-coloured skin, as did her bright violet eyes. She had a very sharp-looking knife at her waist.

The other girl, who was holding an oak staff, moved forward and shook my hand. As she did so, I noticed that a simple metal rosary was tied around the top of her staff- she was a priest, then. "My name's Sydney," she said softly. I smiled. "I am Zera," I told her. "I am glad to meet you, as well."

"Well, my job here's done," Patty said. "Good luck on your travels, sweetie!"

We thanked her, and then left the inn. Erinn waved as we exited, and I waved back.

"So, where to first?" asked Opal excitedly. I hesitated. "Do you know of the knight in black armour?" I asked. "The Wight Knight?" Sydney asked. "I think everyone in town knows about him."

"So are we going to the castle?" Connor asked. "I suppose so," I said. "Let's got then!" enthused Opal, and she took off.

After an appropriate pause, Sydney said, "We'd better follow. We'll lose her otherwise." So we left, following Opal through the streets of town.

"State your business, wanderers!" barked one of the guards at the gate. "We are here to speak with King Schott about the Wight Knight," I said. "Ah!" said the guard. "Well, in that case, you'd better go inside the castle and find out more about it."

"Thanks," said Connor, and we entered the castle. My eyes widened as I gazed around at the interior, and I could tell that Connor, Sydney, and Opal were similarly impressed. There was gold and thick carpeting all through, as far as I could see. Stella whistled. "Now this is stellar!" she exclaimed. "I've definitely got more ideas for jazzing up the Starflight now!"

"I suppose the throne room is up those stairs," I said, pointing to a grand staircase before us. "Probably," Sydney agreed.

At the top of the stairs, a large door stood ajar. Beyond it was a large room. At the far end, on a rise, stood two thrones. The one to the left was empty, but in the right sat a green-robed man with blond hair, a bushy beard and moustache, and a golden crown. He was in a heated argument with a brown-haired young woman in a blue dress and a diadem.

"Och, Simona!" said the man- no doubt King Schott. "How many more times do I have to tell you? You're not to go and see him!"

"And how many times do I have to tell you, Father?" asked Simona. "The Wight Knight keeps coming to town because he's looking for me! Don't you see? If I go to him, then everyone in Stornway can go about their lives in peace again!"

The way they spoke surprised me. Though they were-evidently- royalty, they spoke like the people who had spoken to me on the streets. Perhaps Stornway's royalty came from humbler beginnings than the grand scale of the castle suggested.

The king had begun to speak again. "You're being ridiculous, lassie! Do I look like the kind of man who'd sacrifice my daughter to that nefarious knight?"

"But, Father-!" Simona began to protest, but then the king saw us peering in from outside the door. "Wheesht!" he said. "We have visitors. No more of your blethering! You there, approach the throne!"

We entered the room and bowed in front of Schott's throne. "I am King Schott, master of this castle, and monarch of Stornway. Did you come here because of the sign down in the town there?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," I said, deciding politeness and honour would be the best policy. "You did? So you're going to help us defeat this Wight Knight character?"

"Yes, sir," Connor said. "Crivvens!" exclaimed Schott. "You want to take up the challenge to defeat the Wight Knight? Tell me your names!"

We each introduced ourselves. When we finished, Schott said, "Well then, you four, you'd better listen to what I have to say. Obviously, I have a reason for asking a passer-through to defeat this no-good knight." He looked at Simona, and I could see fondness in his green eyes. "You see, that puddock only came and infiltrated my castle to try and snatch away my daughter!"

He looked back to us. "He's had the nerve to demand that she be delivered to him at Loch Storn by a certain time. I'm convinced that it's some kind of fiendish trap. I reckon he's trying to weaken my castle's defences by having me send my soldiers out to the loch with her. Then he'll attack! That's why I want to employ some likely lasses- and lad- like your good selves instead."

Simona looked shocked. "Och, Father!" she exclaimed. "You can't possibly ask a stranger who's just passing through the place to do such a thing!" Schott looked at her, a combination of anger, irritation, and concern behind his beard and moustache. "Wheesht!" he said. "I will not let that ruffian get the better of me!"

Simona looked at the floor. "It's very sad, Father…very sad that you won't even slightly consider my feelings on this." With that, she turned and ran out of the throne room. We all turned to watch her leave.

After a pause, Schott said, "…Ahem. Sorry about that. My lass likes to do the right thing, and she seems to think the right thing is to go up there and meet him."

We turned and looked back to the king. "Anyway, I'd be much obliged if you could away to Loch Storm and make sure he's not up to any trickery. Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, sir," Connor replied. Schott nodded. "Good. Be sure to give him a good thrashing if you find him, won't you? Just pummel the fiend into the ground!"

I was surprised by the venom in his voice as he said this. Noticing the surprise that was on all our faces, Schott looked rather sheepish. "Naturally, there'll be a braw reward waiting for you when you get back. I'm putting all my hopes on you!"

"We will try not to disappoint you, sir," I said. We bowed, and took our leave. Once outside, Stella said, "This Wight Knight character's causing everyone a bit of grief, isn't he? Could be our chance to get in a bit of good-deeding!" She turned to look at me. "The Almighty will be chuffed to pieces if we manage to make this lot thankful and get ourselves plenty of benevolessence. Everything's starting to fall into its place! Let's go and put that Wight Knight in his!"

However, we did not set off straight away. Sydney wished to go shopping, and the rest of us agreed. The Wight Knight was bound to give us difficulty.

We visited the armour shop first. I browsed around, not seeing much to tickle my fancy. Opal was rushing about, trying on everything; however, I believed she was interested mainly in a light, loose, hooded white robe that tied with blue ribbon at the waist. Connor was considering a set of martial artists' training clothes, and Sydney had found a brown leather dress and a blue bandanna that she liked.

As my eyes ran over a stand of headgear, I saw a lone headband sitting atop the rack. It was magenta in colour, with a thin stripe of gold on the top and bottom. "How much is this?" I asked the man tending the shop.

He came over to look. "Ah, he said. "That's the only thing left out of last month's stock. Not many people in the market for these any more- mainly just minstrel types." He looked at me. "As I see you are. It's 60 gold coins- a bargain."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said. The four of us met up in the centre of the shop soon after. "Has everyone found what they want?" I asked. They nodded. Then Sydney spoke up: "What about shields?"

She pointed to a rack of shields on another wall. "That is a good idea," I said. "I'll wait here," Connor said. "I don't need a shield. It would just get in my way."

"All right," I said. "We will return soon." The three of us went to the rack. It appeared that there were only two types of shields upon the rack: round ones made of leather and a slightly more sophisticated type made of turquoise-coloured scales. "These look good," Sydney said, picking up one that looked as though it would suit her size. "Aye," I agreed, picking up one myself. Opal grabbed a third, smaller than ours, and we returned to where Connor waited.

"Let us pay," I said. We went to where the man stood by a wooden till. He looked at our goods, and, after a moment of thought, said, "That's 1,470 gold coins." The four of us pooled our money together to pay. "You can change in the back if you want," said the man. We thanked him. The others took advantage of the changing rooms while I put on my new headband and adjusted the strap of my shield.

When they returned, we headed to the weapons shop across the street- the same one I had heard Connor behind. Connor declined to enter, saying he was content to do his fighting with his fists, but the rest of us went in.

Opal headed directly for the knives. Seeing her with the sharp blades made me feel rather nervous, especially since the knives looked so at home in her hands. I resolved to ask her later whether or not she had a vocation.

Sydney quickly found a rather interesting staff with a reddish-orange jewel in the centre. "It's a wizard's staff," she told me. "It can throw fire in a battle." Though I found that feature interesting, I decided to look at a different section. Some fans caught my eye.

There were many feather fans, like the one I had currently. However, there was also a type made from sharp slats of iron. I felt a smile touch my lips as I looked at it. It was doubtless a dangerous weapon. I picked it up, testing its weight. It was heavier than my current fan, but it felt excellent in my hand. I met up with Opal and Sydney in the midst of the shop. Opal had a dagger that looked much like the one she already possessed, but there was a soft glow about it that made it look more dangerous.

"That's 1,780 coins," the shopkeeper informed us. We paid, and also sold to him our old weapons- including the copper sword I had been lugging about since I had purchased my feather fan in Angel Falls. Then we left the shop. I felt ready to take on anything.

"Aren't you girls done shopping yet?" Connor asked teasingly as we joined him. I smiled. "Sydney and I are, but I believe Opal would prefer to search every street and alley of the town to find another store," I replied. We laughed as Opal perked up. "There aren't any more good shops," Connor assured her. "Just food and item shops, and we don't need those yet."

I looked up at the sky. "Perhaps we ought to remain here for the rest of the day," I suggested. "Then we will be well-rested when we travel to Loch Storn. Doubtless this Wight Knight will wait for the princess to arrive before he leaves."

The others agreed, and we went to the grassy area behind the weapons shop to pass the afternoon. "Have you a vocation?" I asked Opal. She nodded enthusiastically, making her pigtails bounce. "I'm a mage," she said proudly. My eyes widened. I was rather impressed that someone so small was among the number of those who were skilled at fighting with magic. "Don't mages usually use staffs?" Sydney asked. Opal shrugged. "Yeah, but I like knives better. That way, even if I can't cast a spell, I can still deliver a good attack."

Hearing someone of her stature speaking of attacking, I felt a desire to laugh; but the memory of how natural the knives had looked in her small hands quelled it. No doubt she was a good fighter.

"So, you're a minstrel, right?" Sydney asked. "Yes," I said. Quickly, I attempted to think of legends and songs that I knew, in case they asked me to recite one. All the ones I knew were about Celestrians.

"That's impressive!" Opal said. "Can you do gymnastics and stuff?" I stiffened slightly. I had not anticipated a question like that. However, I relaxed a moment later, smiling. "Aye," I replied. Opal beamed. "Could you show us one?"

"Certainly," I replied. It would no doubt be more difficult without wings to take me a touch higher on jumps, but I was certain I could do it.

I straightened my back and stretched my arms above my head, readying myself. Then I crouched, and launched myself into a flip. I landed it perfectly, then continued to a cartwheel, from which I did several front handsprings. Now on the other side of the grass, I straightened once more, then began a series of cartwheels back to the others.

I stood straight when I reached them, smiling widely. Opal began clapping enthusiastically, and Sydney and Connor joined in, though with less fervour. I bowed once, feeling quite the minstrel. "That was really good," complimented Connor, and I felt a slight flush upon my cheeks in response. I was rather pleased that he had complimented me.

"Would you show us some magic?" I asked Opal then. Her smile, impossibly, grew wider. "Sure!" she cheered. She drew her new dagger and moved it in a figure-eight motion. A small ball of flame appeared and flew across the space. Before it could set anything alight, however, Opal extinguished it.

"Impressive," I said. "Thanks!" she said enthusiastically. "I can do ice, too."

"Neat," Sydney said. After a moment's pause, she then asked, "Where did you learn magic?"

"From a woman in Bloomingdale," Opal replied. "Bloomingdale?" Connor asked. "Isn't that a long ways away?" Opal nodded. "But I came here because I was searching for a little adventure. Bloomingdale's big, but I wanted to see more of the world!"

Sydney pulled a roll of parchment out of a small pack. She kneeled down and unrolled it on the ground. "Here's a map of the whole land," she said. We kneeled down around it.

There were several large masses of land that made up the Protectorate. The northwestern one was where Stornway was located, along with Angel Falls and two other cities: Zere and Coffinwell, where Connor had said his relatives lived. In the centre was a smaller island. There was another mass to the south of Stornway, and three to the east of the centre isle. The northeastern one was the largest of all, but the northern part of it was blank.

Sydney pointed to a place on that largest mass. "That's Swinedimples Academy," she said. "I studied staff fighting and theology there for a few years."

"Really?" I asked. "Yes," Sydney replied. "But I left, because a lot of the students were getting lazy and rowdy. It didn't have the same air of learning as it used to." I nodded.

The map showed a vast area. As I looked it over, I felt a strong desire to explore every part of it- especially the blank area north of Swinedimples. Perhaps I could, with the company of my new friends.

"Can you imagine going everywhere this map shows?" Connor asked. He was obviously thinking along the same lines as myself. "It would be amazing," I agreed. "There is so much to explore!"

"There's Bloomingdale!" said Opal, putting her finger on a spot in the southwestern part of the southeastern landmass. "It's a seaside city. There's always the sound of seagulls in the air, and you can heard the waves crashing against the docks."

"That sounds wonderful," said Sydney dreamily. "I have never seen the sea up close," I said. "What is it like?"

To my surprise, it was Sydney who responded. "Beautiful," she said. "It's hard to describe. It has emotions- some days it's calm and clear and happy, while others it's angry and shook up. Sometimes, there are great huge waves, big enough that they look like they could swallow a ship whole! You can't really understand until you've seen it yourself, though."

"You really like the ocean, then?" Connor asked. "Yes," Sydney responded. "I've been out at sea twice- once going to Swinedimples from…my hometown…and once coming here to Stornway. I love it."

I noticed her hesitation when she said 'hometown'. I found myself extremely curious, but I restrained the feeling. Sydney seemed to be one who kept to herself; she would tell us about it in her own time.

As my companions spoke, I slowly fell away from the conversation. My gymnastics routine, though it had been enjoyable, had reminded me of the time I had spent developing it- the calm, sometimes lazy days I had spent with Aquila before the earthquake and the dark light. I stared off into the distance above the city walls, remembering the tumbles I had taken attempting the routine at first and how kind Aquila had been when he healed me.

Through my distraction, I noticed Connor watching me. He seemed concerned. After that, I made more of an effort to participate in the conversation. And despite my worries, I enjoyed it.

We did not return to the inn until it was dark. At that point, we had dinner and then retired to the rooms Erinn let us as a steeply discounted rate. "You're a friend," she told me. "I wouldn't dream of charging you full price!"

/\*/\

_I stood upon the edge of a cliff, looking down. Far below me, I could see what I believed to be sheep. The sun was warm, and a light breeze teased my hair and cape. I smiled. Truly, it was a lovely day. _

_As I looked down at the sheep, I noticed several odd things. First, I could hear nothing from them; even as high up as I was, I should have been able to hear them bleating. Also, they were moving steadily to the east, and there was no fence around them._

_I was confused for a moment, and then I realised: they were not sheep. Those were clouds! I stood still for a moment, shocked by my revelation. Then, slowly, a smile spread across my face. _

_Doubtless no other but the Almighty Himself had been privileged enough to see the world from such heights. As the clouds moved away, the land spread out below me, unfurled like a detailed, colourful map of the Protectorate. Off in the distance, I could see the curvature of the horizon- a feature I had never seen, only heard of. I was truly a long way up._

_As I looked over the view, amazed at my fortune in seeing the world from such a perspective, I felt the gentle breeze pick up. I took a cautionary step back, but the breeze increased. As my ponytail and cape whipped around me, I panicked, for I realised then that I had no wings. The wind grew then to such strength that I felt myself being blown forward. _

_I struggled to keep my footing as the wind continued to increase. I looked around in terror, searching for something to hold on to. _

_Then I spotted Aquila. "Master!" I cried, stretching out a hand as the wind pushed me closer and closer to the edge. Aquila reached out, and I felt the roughness of his palm as he grasped my hand. "I will not let go, Zera," he promised. I smiled. _

_But then the wind increased. We were both pushed suddenly over the edge. I screamed. Aquila stretched his wings out, pulled me further up. For a moment, we were safe- but then, suddenly, I remembered what happened next. The wind changed, ripping my hand out of my master's protective grasp. He was flung against the sheer wall of the cliff. _

_"No!" I screamed as I continued to fall. Ever faster I moved, knowing that any second, I would hit the ground. And that would be the end of me. _

"No!" I shouted, sitting bolt upright. For the briefest moment, I had the sensation that I was still falling, but it vanished a moment later. I sat for a moment, breathing heavily. Then, slowly, I set about preparing for our battle.

The sun was just peeking up above the horizon when we met in the inn's common room. Opal, as always, was eager. "Come on!" she enthused. "Let's get going!"

Connor gave her a look that would have run her through had it been a sword. "How can someone so little be so annoying?" he asked. Opal crossed her arms. She opened her mouth to utter a retort, and I prepared to step between them, but Sydney moved faster. "Don't fight, you two," she said. "Connor, I'm sorry if you're not a morning person, but I'm sure you'll feel better once we've eaten. Opal…it really is a bit early to be perky and wide-awake. Could you maybe turn it down a bit?"

"Fine," they both said. I went to the inn's kitchen to assist Erinn in preparing the meal. "Zera!" Erinn said. "Go back out there. You're a guest, remember? I'll be done with the food in just a moment!" So I returned to the room.

It was truly only a moment or two before Erinn came into the room, bearing two large trays of bacon, eggs, and blueberry muffins. "Dig in!" she commanded. "Thank you, Erinn," I said as we began to eat. She smiled. "It was no problem," she said, heading to the counter. I could see a plate of food there- no doubt her own breakfast. I turned to our table and began to eat.

I was forced to eat quickly. If I did not, Opal would no doubt have devoured nearly all the food. Though she did not look it, she was a great eater; from the amount she ate, I would have guessed her to be going through a great spurt of growth.

"Where do you put all of that?" Sydney asked incredulously as Opal finished her third muffin- not to mention the four pieces of bacon and at least two and a half eggs. "Right here!" Opal replied, pointing to her stomach. I laughed. "You eat enough to put a horse to shame," I told her. She grinned.

When the food had all disappeared, we prepared to set out. Sydney pawed through the items in her bag, putting them into order; I pulled on my boots; Opal honed her dagger's edges, though they were already as sharp as a razor. Then we took our leave of the city.

The bridge was fifteen minute's journey to the north. We walked quietly, not wishing to disturb the monsters that were no doubt resting nearby. I had no desire to be attacked by a recently woken hammerhood.

"Where do you think the loch is?" Opal asked when we had reached the other side of the bridge. Sydney pulled out her map. "Here," she said, putting her finger on a spot north and slightly east of our current position. I looked up from the map, attempting to see the loch's position from where we stood.

"I would guess that is it," I said, pointing. Through a patch of trees, there was a path leading between two small cliffs. "No doubt the lake is contained between those cliffs," I said. "Probably," Connor agreed. We set off through the trees.

As we walked, a small salamarauder attempted to accost us, but at the sight of Opal's dagger, it squealed and ran off. I smiled.

As we walked between the cliffs, I saw the loch for the first time. It was large, blue, and clear; I could see to the bottom. In a thin channel behind it, I saw a small island with an odd stone building on it. I wondered briefly what it was, but then my mind turned to other matters.

Connor, Sydney, Opal, Stella, and I were the only ones there. There was no sign of a knight, wight or otherwise. "This is where the Wight Knight's supposed to be waiting for the princess, right?" Stella asked. "I can't see head nor tail of him. Surely he's not going to stand us up!"

She turned to look at me. "What do you reckon, Zera? Want to give it a bit longer?" I nodded. "Let us wait," I said, both to Stella and the others. "Perhaps he will arrive soon." They agreed, and we settled in to wait.

An hour later, he still had not made his appearance. Sydney sat upon the grass, staring out over the loch. Connor stood with his arms crossed, looking around at the cliffs. "Hey," came Opal's voice, interrupting my thoughts. I looked to her. "Are you speaking to me?"

"Yep," Opal said. "I was thinking, why just stand around here waiting for the knight? You minstrels are usually pretty good at a range of stuff, right? So I was thinking I could try to teach you a bit of magic!"

I raised my brows. "How so?" I asked. "Well, I could show you a useful battle spell, maybe," Opal said. "There's one pretty basic one- Crack. I'll show you how to use it, if you want."

"Certainly," I said. "Thank you, Opal." She smiled. "No problem!" She drew her dagger. "Okay, take out your fan," she said. I did so. "Miss Sally- the woman who taught me- she always said magic was channelled best with your dominant hand. You're left-handed, right?"

"Aye," I said. "I thought so!" Opal said. "Okay, so hold your left hand out in front of you. Then do this-" at which point she demonstrated a circular motion with her hand, from the top centre of the circle, back around and, once back at the top, a slashing motion downwards. I copied her movements.

"Okay, now here's the hard part," Opal said. "Channelling magic." She looked at me. "Close your eyes," she said. I did so. "Now gather your energy," came Opal's voice. I tried to do as she told me, but I did not know if I was doing it properly. "Once you think you've got it, pick a spot, focus on it, and do the motion I showed you while you release your energy!"

There was a rock to the side of the loch, I remembered. I opened my eyes to see it. Feeling rather foolish, I made the motion, focusing on the rock, and tried to release the energy I was not entirely certain I had gathered.

To my intense surprise, a large icicle appeared over the rock and crashed down onto it. Connor, Sydney, and Stella all jumped at the sound.

"What's going on?" Connor asked. "I was just teaching Zera how to use Crack," Opal said. "And I thank you for it," I said, smiling. "I am sure it will be useful." I felt slightly tired from the effort of using the spell, but exhilarated by the same. Opal beamed. "Glad I could be helpful!"

As she went over to begin chattering with Sydney, I felt my excitement fade. Though it was far different, my lesson with Opal had reminded me of the days I had spent training with Aquila. I sighed as I gazed over the water. Memories of training, fighting together and peaceful days spent calmly watching over the inhabitants of Angel Falls washed over me. I felt my eyes well up a bit, and the end of my nose began to sting.

"Are you all right?" came Connor's voice from beside me. I looked up, blinking quickly to attempt to hide the tears. He stood beside me, a concerned look in his eye. "I am fine," I said quickly. I did not wish to discuss my worries; besides, in order to tell anyone of them, they would need to know of my Celestrian origins. Though I was certain I would have to tell them at some time, I had no desire to bring on that moment prematurely.

Connor did not seem to believe me, but he did not press the subject. I was grateful for that. And so we stood and waited, and I hoped fervently that my master had come to no harm.

When the moon rose above the waters of the loch, Stella turned to me. "Huh!" she said indignantly. "Still no sign of him! What sort of knight would stand a lady in the lurch like this? Why don't we go back to Stornway? We should go back and tell the king the Wight Knight didn't turn up."

She began to flutter away. Then, very suddenly, she stopped. "…Why do I get the feeling that if I turn around he'll be standing right there?" she mused to herself. Then something atop the cliff caught her attention, and her tanned skin became the colour of a sheet.

"Y-y-y-yikes!" she cried. "I w-was only flapping j-joking!" I followed her gaze to see what had frightened her so. My eyes widened. Sitting astride a black horse at the top of the cliff, garbed from head to foot in black armour, was a knight.

"Look!" I said, pointing. My companions all looked up. As they did so, the knight descended, jumping his horse from rock to rock on his way down. He landed directly in front of me.

"Who are you?" he asked in a low, fierce voice. "I have no business with you. Where is the princess?" He drew a sword from its holder on his back and aimed it at me. I swallowed. "Release the princess! Release my beautiful princess!" he ordered. My heart skipped a beat as the faceplate of his helmet rose of its own accord, revealing nothing beneath it but a skull with glowing red eyes. And he charged.

At the last moment, I rolled out of the way, scarcely avoiding the hooves of his steed.

Connor struck as the knight pulled his horse around, delivering a blow to the knight's side. I saw him grimace as his fist collided with the metal, but his effort was rewarded with a resounding _thunk _and a large dent in the knight's armour.

Sydney raised her staff and I heard a _click_. A ball of fire flung itself from the red jewel in the top, singeing the plume atop the knight's helm. A second ball of flame- this one from Opal- hit him square on his breastplate.

The knight wheeled his horse about and charged at Connor, who attempted to dodge. However, he was not fast enough, and the knight's sword stabbed into his arm. He cried out.

I now leapt at the knight, slicing through a section of the armour on his leg. I heard a cry from him, though it was more anger than pain. I had hit nothing below the armour, and that disturbed me. Was he naught but a skeleton dressed in black armour?

The battle progressed through the darkness, and I was grateful for the light of the full moon. Had it not been full, we would not have been able to see enough to fight. As it was, even I with my sharp Celestrian vision found it difficult. I grew weary, and I could tell the others felt the same; Opal had been forced to cease casting spells in order to conserve her energy, and Sydney became visibly more drained each time she healed us.

Then, I felt a sudden rush of strength. I leapt forward and sliced the knight across the chest with my fan, knocking him off his horse. He hit the ground with a loud _thump_.

His horse reared, whinnied, and galloped off. My companions and I stood, watching the knight warily. Slowly, he stirred, and I felt a pang. Would it be impossible to defeat him?

But he rose only to a kneeling position, where he remained, looking at the earth beneath him. "I don't understand," he murmured. His voice no longer sounded fierce. If anything, it sounded broken. He sounded like a different man.

"Why would the Princess send you in her place? Why has my beloved Mona forsaken me? Does our promise no longer mean anything to her?"

I looked at my companions. They all appeared as confused as I. Who was Mona? The princess of Stornway was named Simona, was she not? Stella looked at me. "Any idea what he's on about, Zera? Who's this Mona? The princess in Stornway's called Simona, right? Not Mona. This knight's got a nail loose, if you ask me."

As much as I could tell, the knight looked to Stella. "Is, is that really true?" he asked. Stella jumped. Connor, Sydney, and Opal were exchanging confused glances. I, too, was confused, though certainly not for the same reason. The knight was able to see Stella?

"Yikes!" Stella said. "How come you can see me? You gave me a right flapping shock there!" The knight ignored her. "You have to tell me," he said, sounding desperate. "Is the girl in the castle really not Princess Mona?"

"No," I told him. "She is Simona, princess of Stornway." The knight looked back to the ground. "Oh, woe is me!" he said. "So she wasn't my princess after all. Now you mention it, she wasn't wearing the royal necklace of Brigadoom…" He stood, and turned to look over the loch.

After a long pause, he said, "…I was in a very deep sleep…Then the earthquake happened, and I awoke in this strange land feeling as though I had been released from some kind of…prison…I'd completely lost my memory, so much so that I didn't even remember who I was any more. Then I saw that princess and it all came rushing back to me. Memories of Mona and I."

Saying that, he turned back to us. "I remembered that I am the Wight Knight. And I remembered that Mona is the princess of my homeland of Brigadoom. Princess Mona and I had sworn undying love for each other and were to be wed."

"So he went and confused Princess Simona for Princess Mona?" Stella asked. "Blimey! They must be the splitting images of each other…" I nodded in agreement.

The Wight Knight seemed to be looking into the distance. "Hmm…" he murmured. "I must do the honourable thing. I must return to the castle and apologise for my mistake."

"Uh-oh," Stella said. "I'd try to talk him down from that if I were you, Zera. It'll probably just make things worse." I could not see how, but before I could say as much, the Wight Knight said, "Make things worse? Yes, I fear you may be correct. Then perhaps you could take a message on my behalf?"

"Sure!" Opal enthused. As always, she was excited, even this late at night. It was almost rather annoying. The Wight Knight looked at her. "Tell them I won't go near the castle again. I'm sure the real Princess Mona will be waiting for me back in Brigadoom. All I have to do now is find my way home."

He left the clearing between the cliffs. My companions and I looked around at one another. They still appeared confused by how the Wight Knight had seemingly spoken to empty air. "Let us return to Stornway," I said. "We will be able to report to the king in the morning- after we have slept."

"Sleeping is a good plan," agreed Sydney. Slowly, we left the clearing and returned to Stornway.

I moaned softly as I sank into the mattress and pillows. I was exhausted, and I was certain that I would fall asleep within seconds. And yet I could not.

After a few minutes, I heard the door open. "Zera?" came Connor's voice softly. "Are you awake?"

I pushed myself up. "Yes," I answered. "Is something wrong?" Connor entered the room. "I think so," Connor said. "But not with me."

"Is Sydney injured?" I asked. "Or Opal?" I could see Connor shake his head. "Something's going on with you," he said. "Please, don't try to deny it like you did at the loch. I know something's wrong." I sighed.

"I am tired," I said. "Is there any way this could wait for a later time? It will take time to explain."

"No," Connor said. I sighed once more. "Come in," I said. Connor came the rest of the way into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. _Where am I to begin? _I wondered.

"I do not know how to begin this," I told him. "But the most important thing is that I…I am not of this realm." And I began my story.

"I am one of the Celestrians, the beings that you know as Guardians. Until just over a week ago, I was the Guardian of Angel Falls. But something happened the day of the earthquake, something to change that.

"The duty of the Celestrians is to gather benevolessence, the crystallisation of mortal gratitude, and offer it up to the Great World Tree, Yggdrasil, who grows atop our ancestral home in the skies, the Observatory. There is an ancient Celestrian legend that says, 'Fyggbloom heralds the opening of the heavenly gates, and sets the Celestrians on the path to salvation. And lo, it shall be in the celestial carriage that we, the chosen custodians, journey unto the Realm of the Almighty.'

"We gathered benevolessence for centuries, offering it up to mighty Yggdrasil. And finally, the day came…the day when Yggdrasil's sacred fyggs bloomed. I was the one who offered up the final benevolessence. And the celestial carriage, the Starflight Express, landed at the Observatory. But as I stepped towards it, something terrible happened.

"A beam of dark light shot up from the Protectorate- the Celestrian name for your own realm. It knocked the Starflight away, and rocked the Observatory. More beams came up as well. They shook the fyggs loose from their position on Yggdrasil…and knocked me away from the Observatory. My master, Aquila, attempted to save me, but… his hand missed my own.

"I fell to Angel Falls. When I next awoke, my wings and my halo had been stripped away, and the people of the town- including Erinn- were able to see me.

"I travelled here to Stornway with a faerie named Stella, the skipper of the Starflight Express. We came here with the intent to gather more benevolessence- which I can no longer see- in the hopes that with enough benevolessence, the Almighty would allow the Starflight to fly once more."

Connor remained silent for several moments after I finished my tale. "I…" he said, obviously not knowing what to say. Then he said, "I suppose I can see why you're worried."

I sighed. "That is not the only cause of my worry," I said. "I fear for my master Aquila. He was strict, often stern, but he was a great master, and the closest thing I had to a friend among my people. And I do not know if he is safe after the earthquake, or if he was knocked to the Protectorate as well. I fear that he may be in danger…and I miss him."

After a moment of hesitation, Connor placed a hand upon my own. I looked down at it, feeling oddly reassured by the touch. His hand was slightly rough, but it was warm and the touch was gentle. "I'm sorry…" he murmured. I shook my head. "There is no need for you to be sorry," I said. "It is my problem, not yours."

He said nothing else, but continued to keep his hand atop mine. After a few moments of silence, he said, "I hope you're able to get enough benevolessence to return to your home." I smiled.

Then the smile slipped from my face. I did not know whether I truly wished to return to the Observatory. If I did, I might not have the opportunity to return to the Protectorate again.

"What is it?" Connor asked. I sighed. "I do not know," I said. "I am…I have mixed feelings about returning. I wish to know if my master is safe, but if I return and Apus Major- the leader of the Celestrians- knows a way to restore my wings and halo, I do not believe I will be able to explore the Protectorate as I desire, nor will I be visible to those who live there. I would not be able to be the same as I am now…and I have grown to like it."

I looked down at my lap. Connor lightly squeezed my hand, and I smiled slightly. "I…I'm glad you told me," he said. "I am glad, as well," I told him. "It was nice to speak of it."

Connor looked away. "You do know that you're going to have to tell Sydney and Opal that you're a Celestrian at some point, right?" I sighed. "Aye," I responded. "But that time has not come yet." And I rather hoped it would not come for some time. Telling Connor had been a relief, wonderful- but I was not sure that it would feel so when I told the others.

My eyes began to drift closed. It seemed that my exhaustion was overcoming my odd inability to sleep. "I'll go," Connor said. "We both need to sleep." He lifted his hand from my own- it felt oddly cold without the soft pressure- and stood. "…Sleep well," I told him. "You, too," Connor said, and he left.

As I lay back down, I had a smile upon my face. And a moment later, I was asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, I awoke to sunlight streaming in my window. I blinked once, feeling rather owlish, then I slowly sat up. A smile spread across my face as I realised that for the first night in over a week, I had slept without dreaming. I felt better rested than I had since before my fall.

That realisation had me smiling still as I went downstairs. I found the others already at our table. Connor and Sydney were defending a small plate of food from Opal.

"When Zera wakes up, she's going to want some food, too!" Sydney said. She looked as though she was going to continue, but then Connor looked up and saw me walking towards them. "Morning, Zera," he said. "How're you doing?"

"I am fine," I said. The feel of my smile upon my face changed as we spoke- it became gentler, tenderer. _Odd._ "We've been trying to keep Opal from eating your breakfast," Sydney told me. My stomach growled as I sat down with them. "I appreciate your efforts," I said, digging in to the plate she had slid before me.

"What time is it?" I asked. Opal looked up at a large clock on the wall. "Seven thirty, about," she told me. "Ah," I replied. I had slept well past dawn.

When I had finished my plate, Opal said, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go to the castle!" She rose and bounced impatiently as I pulled on my boots. Then we made for the castle.

Both thrones in the room were now occupied. As before, King Scott sat upon the right one, but now the left was occupied by a slight woman with short blond hair, a violet dress, and shoulder-length gloves- no doubt the queen. It distracted me for a moment- how was it that Simona had brown hair when both her dam and sire were blond? - but I put it aside.

Simona stood before the thrones. "Mother, Father…" she said, "I've decided that I'm going to give answer to the knight's demands." The queen put her head into her hands, sobbing. "Oh, no, Simona, please!" King Schott looked at her, seeming annoyed- though his beard hid from me the set of his mouth.

"There's nothing to cry about, you silly besom!" he said. I was rather shocked at his words- he was speaking to his wife in the rudest manner! - but he continued. "I'll never allow her to go. Ach, they'll be the death of me, these two…"

With that, he realised that we stood in the doorway. The queen and Simona, seeing his distraction, looked to us as well. "Ah!" Schott said. "It's you! I've been waiting on the edge of my throne for you to come back. Hurry closer, now!"

We approached the throne and bowed. "It's good to see you back with us. So tell me, what news is there of the Wight Knight?"

We told him the tale, Opal most of all. Her eagerness to speak was helpful in some situations. I smiled as I listened to her describe the battle. I took up the tale when it came to what he said afterwards, not wishing Opal or Sydney to mention Stella. We had not been finished for a full minute when the king spoke.

"Och! So you're telling me he just lost his memory and mistook my Simona for his fiancée? And he told you he's going off to find Brigadoom now, so he won't be bothering us here again?"

When I nodded, he rose from his throne, anger suddenly gathering upon his face like thunderclouds. "And you believed him?" he bellowed. I took an involuntary step back. "Sounds like a ham-a-haddie to me! That blethering skite can't be trusted!"

"Father!" exclaimed Simona. "Why do you have such a low opinion of him? What did he ever do to you?" As she spoke, I was struck by how much she resembled her father- not in appearance, but in her inner strength. They seemed much like two sides of the same coin.

Schott sat back down, and even with the beard I could tell that his mouth was set stubbornly. "Hmph!" he said. "I've never even heard of Brigadoom for one thing. That proves he must be lying." He looked to us.

"Here's the situation. I'm sure that miscreant will be back here before long after my Simona again. So until you put a stop to him once and for all, you can forget about trying to collect any reward!"

Simona clasped her hands before her chest- something I had noticed her doing during our previous audience with the king. "Why do you refuse to believe their story, Father?" she asked. "If he really is all on his own miles away from home, it must be terrible for him."

Schott looked to her, shaking his head. "Och, lassie. I'm doing this all to protect you, you know. Do try to understand."

Simona appeared to not be listening. As he finished speaking, her face lit up, as though she had had an idea. Without speaking, she turned and ran from the throne room. Schott stood. "Simona!" he called.

The audience was clearly over. We left the throne room. As we passed through the doorway, I heard Simona's voice from my left: "Zera!" I turned to look. She looked about, as though to make sure no one was watching. "There's something I need to talk to all of you about. I don't want anyone to overhear. My room's through that door-" she pointed- "and to the east. Could we talk there? It's about Brigadoom."

Without waiting for an answer, she left through the door she had indicated. I looked to my companions. "Shall we go?" I asked. Sydney nodded. "If she really does know about Brigadoom, it could be useful."

So we followed Simona out the door. As we walked, Stella complained that we wouldn't get any benevolessence with the king so ungrateful. I tuned out her moaning. It was easy- my happiness from having slept fully without my nightmare and from speaking with Connor the night before still lingered.

Simona's room was rather simpler than I had expected. Grand, certainly- her wardrobe alone doubtless was worth more than Erinn's house in Angel Falls- but it was sparsely furnished. Simona stood before the bed, facing the door when we walked in.

"Sorry to ask you to come here like this," she said. "Father would just try to interfere if he overheard. You see, I actually have heard of Brigadoom." As Connor, Sydney, Opal and I looked at one another in surprise, the princess continued: "I remember it from a nursery rhyme one of the maids used to sing to me when I was a wee girl. Maybe that song can give us a clue as to how we can fix all this! The maid's gone back to live in Zere now. It's a tiny village just the west of Loch Storn." She sighed.

"The Wight Knight isn't the evil character that Father thinks he is, I just know it. He needs help, Zera. Please, do whatever you can."

"We shall do our best," I promised. "You can count upon us."

"Zere, huh?" asked Stella as we left the castle. "Sounds a lot like your name, Zera!" I smiled. "What is it?" Opal asked. "I was thinking of how similar _Zere _sounds to _Zera_," I told her. Opal smiled widely. "Yeah, they do sound a lot alike!" she said. "That's funny!"

We left the city. A short distance from the path to the loch, I saw fields of grain. "Are the people of Zere farmers?" I asked. "I think so," Sydney said. "It's a small town, so it's not as though they'd have much else."

As we travelled through the fields, it was evident that the monsters were plaguing this area, as well. Ragged reapers and betterflies wandered about the fields, often destroying a few stalks of grain. No doubt if this continued, the harvest would be a small one.

When we left the fields, we could see Zere up ahead. What I first noticed about it was that it seemed oriented around an enormous tree that was missing most of its branches. Even from this distance, I could tell that the town was small.

We stopped at a small shop at Opal's insistence. Connor purchased nothing, but I found for myself a new top, a knee-length leather tunic dyed green, belted at the waist, and with a thick, brown leather cape attached. I looked oddly at Opal when she purchased a blue tunic nearly exactly like the one I had purchased in Angel Falls, only smaller. "It's cute!" she said when she noticed. "And yours would be too big for me."

She and Opal each purchased a pair of leather boots, and we each bought a sturdy bronze shield. After selling our old shields and Sydney and Opal's sandals, we asked the man minding the shop for directions.

"Aye, Alanna lives on the other side of our tree," he said. "She used to work as the princess's nurse- imagine!" We thanked him, and continued on our way.

The door to the house 'on the other side of our tree' was open, so we peered in. Two grey-haired women sat at a table. "Wheesht, Alanna!" said the one closest to us. "There you go again, blethering about the old days."

The other woman smiled. "I was actually a wee bit jealous of you back then, Petra," she said. She stopped abruptly as she caught sight of us standing in the doorway. "Aye?" she asked. Petra turned. "Och, we've company! Welcome, welcome!"

We entered. "Greetings," I said. "We wished to ask you something. Would either of you have happened to be Princess Simona's nurse when she was a child?"

"Aye, that's right," Alanna said. "I used to look after Princess Simona. Why do you ask?"

"Because we wanted to hear the song you sang to her, about Brigadoom!" Opal said cheerfully. "Well, I can't deny a request like that, can I?" Alanna asked. She looked to Petra. "You'll sing along with me, won't you, Petra?"

"The Right Knight ditty?" Petra asked. "Aye, I could sing that in my sleep." I was rather confused- everyone we had spoken with had called him the Wight Knight, had they not? – but Alanna and Petra seemed not to notice my confusion as they turned to us. Petra began the song.

"_Giddy up, giddy up, and away he goes!_" Alanna continued:

"_The Right Knight sets off on his steed_

_"In search of evil he rides._

_"If he can defeat the terrible beast_

_"He'll be home to wed his bride._

_"The town is full of laughter, preparing a feast fit for a queen,"_

_"Och! But then, disaster! _

_"The Right Knight's nowhere to be seen!"_

_"Bird, north, Brigadoomward on, _

_"Tell her that her knight is gone,"_

_"Bird, north, Brigadoomward on,_

_"Tell her that her knight is goooone!"_

Alanna smiled. "Well, that's the song, dearie. I hope it was to your liking." Then she paused. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why would you come all this way just to hear an old nursery rhyme?"

I paused. Then I told her, "We are searching for Brigadoom."

"Oh, so you want to find Brigadoom, do you? In that case, I'd pay special attention to the part about the bird flying north. Why don't you try flying north yourself and seeing what you can find?"

"We will," Sydney said. "Thank you both."

"It was no problem, my dears, no problem at all!" Alanna said. "I wish you luck!"

We thanked her once more, and left the cottage. "Let's go to an inn," Connor suggested. "We'll have space to spread out the map."

"That is a good plan," I said. I pointed. "The inn is just across the way."

"Across the stream?" Opal asked. "It looks a little too wide to jump." So we travelled around the tree, taking the long way around to avoid getting wet. As we came down a set of earthen stairs, I heard a shout.

"S-somebody help me!" yelled a man's voice, and a large blond man came running into the village. Chasing after him, riding upon his black steed, was the Wight Knight- no, I reminded myself, the Right Knight. "Aargh! We're done for! Help! Heelp!" yelled the man, ever more frantic.

"Why do you run from me?" asked the Wight- _Right_- Knight. "I just want to talk with you. I mean you no harm."

"Dinnae gie me that!" yelped the man. "I saw that witch in the woods out lookin' for ye, so I did! A real piece o' work, she was, red eyes a-blazin' and all! Asked me if I'd seen her slave, the Wight Knight, so she did! That's you, I'd wager. Ye're her slave, are ye not?"

"Do I look like a witch's slave to you?" demanded the knight. "I've never heard anything so ridiculous!" At that, he seemed to spot us, standing atop the steps, watching over the scene.

"It's Zera, is it not?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to try to learn more about Brigadoom," Connor said. "You've been trying to find out more about Brigadoom?" the knight asked. "You really didn't need to go to such trouble on my account."

He paused for a moment, then said hesitantly, "So…were you able to learn anything?"

"You are called the Right Knight, are you not?" I asked. "The Right Knight?" he asked. "Yes, that's what they called me back in Brigadoom. However did you find that out?"

"There's a song!" Opal said. She looked at me, her eyes bright. "You're a minstrel, Zera. Sing it for him!"

"Erm…" I said. I was not sure that I could remember all the words, nor was I sure that I would be able to sing in from of so many people- for there were more people about than just my companions and the Right Knight. Then I felt a gentle pressure on my hand. I looked down to see Connor's hand around my own. He smiled, squeezed it once, then let go. No one else saw.

I looked back up and took a deep breath. Then I began the song.

As I sang, I knew that I was changing notes slightly, adding small trills and moving up and down where Alanna and Petra had remained still. But I could not help it as I moved through the simple lyrics.

The silence when I finished was far deeper than I had anticipated. The sounds of conversation in the village had quieted, and while I could still heard birdsong and the sounds of the monsters outside the village, it was very quiet.

"That was really good!" Connor said. I looked down smiling, warmth rising to my cheeks. "Yeah, it was!" Opal cheered. "Had you heard that song before?" Sydney asked. "I don't think you missed a single word."

"Surely not!" the Right Knight said, looking into the distance. He was not speaking to any of us, I was certain of that. "There's a song about me! This is all very odd. Surely I'm not just the figment of a storyteller's imagination?"

He looked to us. "'Bird, north, Brigadoomward on'? That's the only clue there was in the song?" He turned his steed about.

"Then I suppose there's nothing for it but to follow the bird's example. Northward ho!" he cried, and his steed galloped out of the village and away.

We were silent for several moments. Then Sydney said, "Well…are we still going to the inn, or shall we just follow him north?"

"Follow him, I should think," I said. "After all, he is from Brigadoom. Would he not know best where to find it?" The others agreed, and we left the village, following the hoofprints of the Right Knight's steed.

Fifteen minutes north and west of the village was a great forest. "Doomingale Forest," Sydney said, consulting her map. "But there's no record of anything here aside from trees. No mention of Brigadoom or anything."

I pulled out my fan as we walked. Doomingale Forest had an eerie feel to it, much like that of a storm about to break. As I looked up, I realised that was true in more ways than one. Dark thunderheads were massing above the forest. I pointed them out to my companions.

"There shouldn't be storms this early in the day," Sydney said. She sounded concerned. "Maybe we ought to wait for tomorrow."

"No!" I said. "It is only nine in the morning. If we wait for the morrow, we will have wasted a full day!" Sydney was reluctant, but we convinced her- for Connor and Opal sided with me. And so we continued.

The prints of the Right Knight's steed were no longer there to guide our way. The ground was too dry for anything to leave a print.

As we continued roughly north, I heard a sound from behind us. "What was that?" I asked, turning. My eyes widened as I saw two leery louts and a cumaulus charging us. "Behind you!" I cried.

I was just in time. Sydney dodged just as one of the leery louts' swords passed through the space her midsection had occupied only an instant before. Opal raised her dagger and cast a spell I had not seen before. It rent the air around the monsters in a series of small explosions. One of the leery louts- the one that had swung at Sydney- died on the spot, leaving nothing but a bit of the traditional purple dust.

Connor swung a fist at the remaining leery lout. He managed to circumvent the monster's shield and hit it in the face. It howled.

The cumaulus now sped at me. It wrapped itself around me, so that I could see nothing but grey mist, and then I jumped as something within the mist bit me. I heard a _click _and the mist lit up with flame. I dropped to the ground before I could be singed, and the cumaulus exploded.

Now I ran at the final monster, slicing diagonally across its front. It raised its shield, but it was an instant too slow, and it joined its fellows in becoming dust.

We stood still then, breathing heavily. "Thank you," I said to Sydney. "No problem," she replied. After a moment, Opal said, "Well, let's keep looking!"

And so we continued on our way.

If the sun had been out, it would have reached its zenith and begun its journey to the western horizon before we saw something ahead that was not trees. We hurried forwards, hoping our journey was at an end. But when we saw what was ahead, we stopped.

It was the ruins of what had doubtless once been a great city. I could see what remained of towers, staircases, and buildings in the gloomy light that made its way through the clouds. Before us was a large, gated arch, but there were no walls around it. I could not understand. Where was Brigadoom?

Then I realised: this _was _Brigadoom.

Lightning lit up the ruined city with an eerie light, and I amended my previous thought.

This _used _to be Brigadoom.

"No!" cried a voice from behind us. I turned to see my companions as shocked as I, but none of them had cried out.

The Right Knight rode up behind us. As much as I could tell behind his faceplate, he was staring up at the ruins. "This can't be Brigadoom. I don't understand. How can I have been away for so long that it's fallen into such disrepair?" He paused for a moment. "And where is my beloved Mona? Princess Mona! Mona!"

We parted before him as he rode his steed through our midst. He circumvented the gate, racing into the ruined city. We soon lost sight of him through the rain that had begun.

"What happened to this place?" Opal asked in a whisper. "I don't know," Connor said. Instinctively, the four of us moved closer together as we walked into the ruins. Jinksters, leery louts, cumauluses, and other monsters had made the ruins into their home.

"Where are we supposed to go?" I asked. "I don't know," Opal replied. I heard a sniff from my right, and looked over. My eyes widened in surprise.

Sydney had tears in her eyes, and I could see the track of one down her cheek. "This is horrible," she whispered. "There was so much life here. How could it have all been destroyed like this?"

None of us had any answers.

We walked in silence through the pouring rain that had broken free from the thunderheads. The monsters did not bother us- I supposed our group was large enough that they did not fancy their chances. I saw two bookcases, filled with ruined books, and I nearly cried as well. There had doubtless been much knowledge in this city. Now it was lost.

Hours later, it seemed, we stumbled upon a descending staircase in the northernmost part of the city. "Shall we check here?" I asked. "Sure," Connor said. I led the way down the stairs, cautious in case they crumbled beneath my feet.

To my right as I reached the floor below ran a hallway. Before us, the hall was filled with rubble. Behind the wall on the other side of the hall, I thought I heard a voice. "There's someone there!" Opal exclaimed as she reached the bottom. Evidently, I had not been hearing things. We went to investigate.

We were forced to circumnavigate what seemed to be a large room. Opposite the side where we had begun, there was a large oak door. I pushed it part of the way open, and we peered in.

The Right Knight stood in the centre of the room, facing away from us, his sword in hand. I could not see whom he faced, aside for a pair of violet, bat-like wings. Did the knight face a demon? I wondered.

"Ka ha ha!" came a harsh voice from in front of the knight. It sounded to me like the voice of a woman, though it was difficult to tell. We edged slowly into the room, hoping not to be noticed.

My eyes widened as I beheld the figure the Right Knight faced. It looked to me like a demon, with the figure of a woman. But her skin was blue-grey, her long hair the colour of her wings, and her eyes naught but red pits. She sat in a throne at the end of the room.

"Welcome home, ma love," she said. I was shocked. _Ma love? _I thought. Was this…witch the Princess Mona the knight had spoken of? Had he been under a spell?

"I've been lookin' ev'rywhere for ye," the witch continued. "Ye wernae hidin' from me, were ye, ye naughty boy?" The way in which she spoke contrasted with her appearance to the point where it might have been amusing, had I not been so confused by the situation. She had a lisp, it seemed; when she pronounced an 'r', it sounded like a 'w'.

"…Morag!" cried the Right Knight. "Now I understand. Now I remember everything. I left Brigadoom in search of you, so that I could destroy you."

The words of the ditty echoed in my head: _in search of evil he rides_. Everything was falling into place very neatly.

Morag stood. "Ka ha ha!" she laughed. "But it was I who defeated ye, an' wrapped ye in mah sweet, sweet embrace…An' I had ye all tae maself there for a century or two, in oor own private wee world of darkness. Ye're all mine, an' dinnae forget it. Ye're mah Wight Knight in shinin' armour…"

I understood now where the name Wight Knight had come from. Morag was unable to pronounce the 'r'. What an odd way to gain a name, I thought.

The Right Knight tensed. "Enough!" he shouted. "This is all your doing. What have you done with her? Where is my Mona?"

With that, he leapt at Morag, and I though to see her the next second skewered upon the tip of his sword. But it did not happen, for Morag's red eyes flashed darkly, and twin beams of darkness speared the Right Knight from them. The knight was flung back. As he struggled to his feet, I realised that crackling around him was a nimbus of dark energy. "Graaaah!" he cried as he managed to stand.

"Ka ha ha!" Morag laughed again. "Ye silly nyaff! The earthquake broke the spell I placed on ye, but there's nothing can stand in the way of true love. I'll put another spell on ye, an' we'll be all alone together in the darkness again before ye know it. Just the two of us…"

"We must go up!" I whispered. Opal swallowed. Connor nodded. Sydney adjusted her grip on her staff. And we walked up between the knight and Morag, who regarded us coolly. "An' who might ye be, hm?" she asked. Ye're not here to steal my beloved Wight Knight away from me, are ye? Ha! Well, ye're a fool if ye are. Can ye not feel the strength of the curse I've put on mah poor wee darling? It's pure dead powerful!"

She laughed one again, and continued. "Dinnae worry yer pretty wee heid if ye cannae, though. Ye'll feel it soon enough for yerself! Ka ha ha!"

Her eyes flashed once more. I had a split second to realise that the twin beams were heading directly at Connor before I shoved him away. But in doing so, I placed myself directly in their paths.

I closed my eyes, curling in upon myself. Dimly, I could hear something: gasps, a scream, Connor's voice: "Zera!" But I could not focus upon them. The black energy wrapped itself around me, crushing me at the same time it shocked my like a thousand lightning bolts. I clenched my teeth, trying not to scream with pain.

Then I straightened and flung my arms away. The black energy dissipated, along with the pain. I smiled grimly at Morag. I heard shocked gasps from my companions. Morag, too, seemed shocked.

"Wh-what…?" she asked. "I've the cruellest, most crippling curses known tae mortalkind…how could they not work…?" She looked at me oddly. "Just what exactly are ye? If ye were mortal, my curse couldnae have failed." Then the red pits of her eyes widened. My smile widened in response. "…Wait, ye're not…one of _them_, are ye?" I nodded once, still smiling. I tightened my grip on my fan, knowing that she would likely spring at any second.

"Ach, no! We cannae be havin' this!" Morag cried. She readied her knife. "Why couldn't ye just have left us in peace, eh?" she asked. "Now I'm goin' to have tae make yer pretty face a whole lot less lovely!"

And then she sprang. Already tensed, I jumped out of the way when her knife stabbed towards me. As Morag landed, my companions joined in. Opal cast the spell she had used on the monsters in the forest. As it rent the air, I decided to christen it Bang.

As we grouped together to face her, Morag's eyes flashed, but not in the same way as when she had hit me with the dark energy. I felt myself freeze. She had paralysed me!

I saw Connor attack, a solid punch to Morag's midsection. It worked much better against her than it had the armoured Right Knight, and had I been able to move I would have smiled with the satisfaction of hearing her cry out.

I heard the distinctive _click _of Sydney's wizard's staff, and the ball of flame hit Morag in the face. She put it out, but I could see the marks it left.

Morag attacked again then, and I realised that Opal must have been paralysed as well. I could not move to avoid the knife, nor to cry out when it dug into my left shoulder. If I were able to move again during the battle, the wound would hamper my attacks.

The battle continued for half an hour at the least. Opal and I became free to move again, and with four against one, the fight became almost- almost- easy. When, suddenly, a punch from Connor flung the witch back against her throne, she could not rise above a kneeling position, even with the help of her throne.

We were all breathing heavily. I could feel the sting of several wounds across my body, and I knew the others were similarly injured.

"No…" groaned the witch. "Ma Wight Knight…. Oor eternal world together…no more…. But, ma love…ye must ken that ye cannae turn back the centuries. Yer beloved Mona is no more…Ka…ha ha…." She struggled to look up, directly at the Right Knight. "Now ye're doomed to walk alone in eternal despair… Ka ha ha ha ha…!"

And thus saying, her body dissolved into darkness. Slowly, I turned to look at the Right Knight. The black energy had vanished, but he was on his knees. "Princess Mona! It can't be true!" he cried. Then he looked up at us. "With your help, I finally returned to Brigadoom. And yet…the passing of time has destroyed my homeland. And my beloved Mona is no longer here to welcome me."

He paused for a long time. "I came home at last…but alas, I was too late…"

For a moment, all was silent. My breathing hitched as I thought of what it would be like to return to the Observatory and find it as Brigadoom was: desolate, ruined…empty. I shivered.

Then, a familiar voice came from the doorway. "You are not too late," it said. We all looked. Standing in the doorway was Princess Simona.

But was it? For her voice was slightly changed. It was accented as the Right Knight's, not as the one I had heard in the castle. Around her neck, the princess wore a golden necklace with a large ruby pendant. She wore a beautiful, pure white dress.

"That necklace!" cried the Right Knight. The princess walked up and stood directly behind him, so that he had to turn his head nearly all the way around. "Princess Mona!" he said, his voice full of relief and love. "I don't…aren't you…?"

The princess shook her head. "I made you a promise," she said. "I swore I would wait for you, no matter how long it took." She extended her right hand to the knight. "My beloved Right Knight…take my hand and dance with me! The first dance we would have had as man and wife…"

Slowly, the Right Knight rose. "Princess Mona…" he said. "You forgive me?" The princess said nothing, but she smiled. The Right Knight took her hand, and they pulled one another close.

As they did so, beautiful, sourceless music filled the room. Princess and knight began to dance, staring into each other's eyes. It seemed to me as though we stood no longer in a ruined throne room, but in the grandest of ballrooms, one fit for the first dance of a princess and prince. I felt myself swaying along to the music, and then a slightly rough, warm hand grasped my own. I looked at Connor and smiled. He smiled back at me.

And for at least ten minutes, the unearthly music filled the room, and the princess and the knight danced.

When the Right Knight began to glow softly, the music did not cease. The pair stopped dancing, looking at one another. "Thank you, Princess," said the Right Knight. "I know now that you are not my Mona. But…without you, I would have been forced to wander forever in eternal despair."

Simona- for it could be no other but her- smiled gently. "I knew you were the Right Knight from the old stories," she told him, and her voice now sounded the way it had when I had first heard her. "I just knew it. I knew there was a connection between us the moment you appeared."

"It is not unbelievable that you, who inherited the memories of my beloved Mona, would have felt so…" the knight said. Simona's blue eyes widened. "So I am Princess Mona's…!"

The Right Knight turned to us. "Thank you, Zera," he said. "Without you, I would never have uncovered the truth. Now I have no regrets. Only gratitude…"

He looked up to the sky. Slowly, he began to rise up, and the glow grew to an unbearable brightness. Then, with a flash, he was gone.

The room was silent for a time. Then, Simona said, "I know I was supposed to leave it all up to you, but I couldn't help myself and I just had to come along." She paused. "It's really very odd. When I was dancing with him, I heard a voice…a woman's voice…. She was saying 'thank you'….

"Anyway, I must hurry back to the castle and tell everyone the news. I'll be sure to have your reward ready for you, so do stop by the castle as soon as you can." She turned and left the room. As she walked out, I saw the green uniform of the castle guards.

We all looked at one another. And then slowly, without speaking, we left the ruins of the city to return to Stornway.

/*\

It was late when we reached the city, but as it was not quite sundown, we decided to go to the castle and report to the king. As tired as I was, the grandiosity of the castle left me rather untouched.

"Ah, it's you!" cried Schott as we entered the throne room and bowed. "Good to see you! Simona's told me everything." He shifted uncomfortably on his throne. "Sounds like that Wight Knight was having a tough old time of it. I feel a wee bit guilty in hindsight." He paused.

"Still, all's well that ends well. You did a braw job there. I'm impressed! Aye, and you more than deserve that reward I promised. You just help yourself. Take all of it if you want to! Just climb the stairs behind the throne and go outside. East from there you'll see the treasure chamber."

Then, he seemed to remember something. "Crivvens!" he exclaimed. "I almost forgot! I've opened up the eastern checkpoint again. It was closed while all that stramast with the Wight Knight was going on. There's a big town beyond the checkpoint. Could be an interesting place to visit on your travels."

He looked about the room. "Aye, well…" he murmured. Simona smiled and bowed to us. My eyes widened, but before any of us could say anything, Schott said, "I hope you have a safe journey. And maybe you'll stop in Stornway again sometime? You'll always be welcome here!"

We bowed. "Thank you, King Schott," I said. "Thank _you_," Simona said. "For everything."

I smiled. "We were glad to help." Then, I looked to the others. "Shall we?"

We ascended the stairs and went east to the treasure chamber. My eyes widened as I looked about. Opal whistled. "Wow," murmured Sydney. "That's a lot of treasure," Connor said. "Aye," I agreed. "It really is."

There were coins in piles all about the room, red and blue chests on pedestals, and jewels all about. Slowly, we moved farther into the room.

Sydney picked up a golden rosary, looking at it in amazement. "This must be worth a fortune," she murmured. Connor took a phial of something from the floor. "Aggressence!" he exclaimed. "This could come in handy!"

Opal and I each took coins, and we left the chamber. As we made our way back to the Quester's Rest, Stella said, "Nice one, Zera! Looks like everyone here thinks you're the flea's knees now! See! Check it out! Benevolessence as far as the eye can see!" I gazed around the darkening city, but I could not see a hint of the beautiful crystal.

"Oops!" Stella said. "I forgot you can't see it! What a flapping idiot! I'm sure the Almighty will notice what you've been up to now, anyway. We'll be back to the Observatory in no time, you'll see!"

I was relieved when we reached the Quester's Rest and settled into our beds. _Surely,_ I thought, _this has been one of the longest days of my life_- and I had had many days. My mind briefly wandered: _one hundred forty-five years, seven months and…eight days? No, nine…_

But before I could even begin to calculate the number of days I had lived, my eyes had drifted closed and I was asleep.

"Oi, lazy-limbs! Wake up, would you? The Starflight, remember? And you'll have to think of some story to tell those friends of yours as well, so let's get snapping!"

"Stella," I groaned. I sat up slowly, blinking at the bright light coming in through my window. "Must you be so _loud_? I would not be surprised if the people in the next room heard you- and they are mortal!" I stretched luxuriously. Already I felt quite awake- what a difference it made to have the nightmares gone!

Downstairs, I found that only Connor was out and about. "Good morning," I said to him, feeling suddenly much more cheerful. A smile came unconsciously to my lips as he turned from his food. "Morning," he said, smiling in response. He pulled out a chair. "Do you want to sit?"

"Thank you," I said, sitting next to him. We were silent for a moment. Then Connor hesitantly asked, "Did…did you get the benevolessence?"

"You remembered the word!" I said, rather surprised. It was rather a long word, after all, and I doubted that he had heard it prior to our discussion the previous night.

"Yeah," Connor replied. What was that expression? Worry? Anxiety? "Stella said there was benevolessence aplenty in the town," I told him. "…Stella?" he asked, brows contracting. Then he appeared to remember: "Oh, the faerie."

"Yes, the faerie, you flapping marrow-head!" spluttered Stella. "When'd you tell him about me, eh, Zera?" I did not deign to respond. Muttering, Stella folded her arms and looked away.

"When you say Stella told you…" Connor said, and I returned my attention to him. "Can't you see it?"

I shook my head sadly. "Not since I fell. Aside from my wings and halo, it seems to be the only of my Celestrian powers that has deserted me."

There was another silent moment, broken by the morning sounds of the inn and the city outside. Then: "So what are you going to do now?" There was an odd note of something in his voice…concern? Distress? I cut myself off at that, not wishing to travel any further down that particular path.

"I suppose Stella and I return to the Starflight Express and find if we are able to travel back to the Observatory." I swallowed as I finished saying it. Why must this be so difficult? I wondered. _And why does the thought of leaving Connor seem even worse than that of leaving Sydney and Opal?_

For it did, I realised then. My heart gave an odd, knifelike jerk at the thought that I would likely never be able to speak with him again. There was so much I had been unable to ask him about: his family, his hopes, his past…and I never would. The simple idea of never seeing him again, never feeling my spirit lift in the strange way it did when I was with him, never seeing his smile and dark eyes again…it hurt almost beyond my ability to bear.

"Come with me," I said desperately, the words coming out seemingly of their own accord. Connor looked at me oddly. "Come with you where?"

"To the Starflight," I responded. "As far as you can. I am not ready yet to leave you." The words came out very fast- I sounded rather like Stella, if Stella had ever sounded as quietly desperate as my voice felt.

"You…you really want me to come with you?" Connor asked. "Yes," I said. "As much as I have ever wanted anything in my life…and I have had a very long life, by your standards."

"Just how- never mind," Connor said. However, before either of us could say anything more, Opal bounded out of the elevator, followed by a very tired-looking Sydney, who was leaning rather heavily on her staff. "Opal, why did you have to wake me up?" she complained as she followed the small girl to our table.

"I wanna get an early start!" Opal cheered. "Are we gonna go to Coffinwell?" she asked me. I hesitated, looking at Connor. His face had gone completely smooth, aside from the occasional red bump of a pimple.

"There is something I must do first," I said. "Let us eat, and then we shall go- all of us." I looked at Connor as I said this, and everything I could not say- because I did not know how to say or even entirely _what_- seemed to pass between us. A smile very nearly touched my lips as I went to get breakfast for us.

/\*/\

It was another beautiful day, sunny and cloudless. Birds sang in the trees, and monsters hopped around, some chirping to one another, while others seemed to be playing. Even monsters did not seem so threatening.

I was not sure whether or not I was glad that the pass was a short distance away. Certainly it made it easier to fend off questions from Opal and Sydney, but it felt as though the time was passing faster than it should. I held Connor's hand tightly, ignoring questioning looks. I did not wish to let go a moment before I must.

"Here," I said quietly when we reached the clearing where the Starflight sat. "Hang on a minute!" Stella exclaimed. "The Starflight looks exactly the flapping same! I was sure we'd have given it a new release on life by now….If the Almighty had noticed all our good work and decided to help out, it'd be all glowing…I can't have gotten the wrong end of the gearshift on this one, can I?"

I ignored her to watch my friends. "…What exactly are we supposed to be looking at?" asked Sydney. I swallowed, suddenly uncertain. I did not know what to say!

"I am not a mortal," I said, the words spilling out. Opal and Sydney simply stared. "Huh?" asked Opal. "I am not mortal," I said, and launched into a version of the tale I had told Connor only two nights before. Had it truly been so short a time? It felt like so much longer…

"I am one of the Celestrians, the Guardians," I said. "My master, Aquila, had recently finished training me, and I was the new Guardian of Angel Falls. The duty of the Celestrians is to assist mortals, and to receive benevolessence to offer to Yggdrasil, the tree which tops our home in the sky. She was soon to bloom, and there was excitement in all Celestrians…

"Nine days ago, all was as it should be. I had completed my rounds of Angel Falls, and Aquila and I had returned to the Observatory. I went up to offer the benevolessence I had gathered to Yggdrasil, and found Aquila and Apus Major, the leader of the Celestrians, stood at her foot. They told me that Yggdrasil's time had come, that the sacred fyggs would bloom.

"I offered my benevolessence to the great Tree, and She indeed bloomed- seven golden, glowing fyggs. The celestial carriage- the Starflight Express, the train in the clearing that none of you can see- came to us. As I moved to it, a beam of dark light shook the Observatory, flinging me away. I crashed into the pool in Angel Falls, and when I awoke, my wings and halo were gone and I was visible to the mortals who lived therein- including Erinn.

"And I travelled to Stornway in the company of a faerie named Stella, who is currently fluttering next to me. After that, you know the story as well as I."

Sydney and Opal stared. They looked to Connor. Opal's eyes narrowed. "You knew!" she accused. Connor shifted. "Yes," he said. "Zera told me the night before last."

"And you didn't tell us!" cried Opal. But then I realised something: Sydney was tearing up. "Is something the matter?" I asked her. A look of wonder and something I could describe only as pure joy was spreading across her face as the tears spilled over.

"I knew you existed!" she whispered. "I just knew it!" She hesitated. "Can…can I hug you?" she asked. I smiled and opened my arms slightly. Sydney stepped forward and hugged me gently. I squeezed her gently in return. After a moment, she stepped back. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

"You are welcome," I said.

"Why are we here?" Opal asked. I swallowed. "Stella believes we have collected enough benevolessence to get the Almighty's assistance in reviving the Starflight so we are able to return to the Observatory."

The words fell into complete silence. Opal and Sydney looked stunned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Connor close his eyes as a look of- _pain_? – crossed his face.

"You can't go!" Opal burst. "We're just getting started! This was gonna be such a great adventure, and we were gonna go all over and…and…" Her dark little face crumpled. "I'm gonna miss you!" She flung her arms around my waist.

I could say nothing except "I shall miss you, too." I bowed my head and felt tears come to my own eyes. After a moment, I forced myself away, murmuring, "I must go." I sniffed once, surprised at myself. I usually showed far more reserve than this.

I forced myself to turn away. Connor touched my shoulder gently. "Do not," I whispered, my voice cracking. "It is already difficult enough."

I followed Stella, who was already inside the Starflight. I paused on the step outside, attempting to regain control of myself. "I don't believe it!" Stella was saying to herself. "It all looks exactly the flapping same! And after we went to all that trouble…has the Almighty decided to turn a blind ear to us or something?"

I stepped inside, and nearly jumped out of my skin as the Starflight gave an almighty lurch. "Yikes!" Stella exclaimed, arms and legs flailing. She turned to me, and I fought down a sudden desire to laugh. She looked entirely ridiculous!

"What was that? The entire thing moved when you came in just then…" She froze halfway through the flail. "…When you came in! That's it! That's it, Zera! The benevolessence you got from helping that knight has given you back some of your Celestrian powers!"

She crossed her arms, looking very smug with herself for figuring it out. "It looks like my first instinct didn't stink after all! The Starflight will fly if she has a Celestrian on board!" She turned away, seeming lost in thought. "But first you need to help people so you can get your powers back…get back all of your powers and we'll have the old girl flying like a dream again!"

She turned back to me triumphantly. "We'd better flat-foot it to that town beyond the checkpoint. I bet it's cram-packed with people in need of our help!" She pumped her fist into the air. "Woohoo! There's hope at last! Time to disembark on a mission of mortal mercy! Ha ha!"

Unable to believe my fortune, I turned mechanically and followed Stella off the train. I saw the shock on my friends' faces as I disembarked. "Zera?" Connor asked, seemingly unable to believe it. "We did not have enough," I said, "and Stella realised something." I smiled slightly. "Shall we go on to Coffinwell?"

A smile grew across Connor's face, and I felt myself smile in response. "Let's go!" enthused Opal, and Connor took my hand. And we set off for Coffinwell.

/\*/\

"I've been wondering," said Connor about forty-five minutes later as we walked along the path to Coffinwell, "how old _are_ you? You were saying this morning, about it being a long time by our standards."

I hesitated, making a face. "I am worried that it will frighten you."

Opal rolled her eyes. "You told us you were a Celestrian not half an hour ago. I don't think anything is really going to freak us out now!" Connor laughed, and I smiled. Sydney still looked far away. She had had a faraway, wondering expression ever since I had told them of my origins, and I guessed she was still overwhelmed by the revelation. It must have seemed nothing short of a miracle to her that her faith should be affirmed in such a way.

"I suppose so," I said. After a moment more, I said, "All right…I am one hundred forty-five years, seven months and…ten days old."

There was silence. To my surprise, Sydney was the one to break it: "Well, I suppose we should have expected a number like that." Slowly, Connor nodded. I was worried for a moment that he would release my hand- I was not sure if I would be able to stand it if he did- but he did not. I relaxed and saw a slight smile spread across his face. "It does not…freak you out?" I asked, borrowing Opal's terminology. Connor laughed. "Do you know how strange that sounds coming from you?" he asked me. I smiled. "I shall take that as a yes."

"Please do," said Connor, still chortling. I cuffed him lightly on the back of the head, making Opal and even Sydney laugh. After hesitating, I joined them. My Celestrian composure was leaving me, but I did not mind. I truly enjoyed letting my guard down around my friends. Perhaps mortals had a better grasp on friendship than the Celestrians did.

The weather grew slightly cooler as we walked. As Connor had said, Coffinwell was always rather cool, and it was honestly rather nice. Monsters I had not seen before roamed about, and I pulled out my notebook and pen and began sketching a particularly leafy-looking one that was watching our passage from the side.

"That's a leafy larrikin," Connor told me. "You want to watch out for them- they have a nasty habit of chasing you down for a fight."

About an hour and a half after leaving the Starflight, Coffinwell came into sight. However, unlike when I had first seen Stornway, I could hear little or nothing from within the city. As we drew closer, the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood up.

"Something's wrong," Connor said. He appeared fixated on the left side of town. "The churchyard…there shouldn't be that many graves there." He stared at it for a moment, then took off towards Coffinwell. Opal, Sydney, and I raced after him, and caught up at the top of the stairs leading up to the church and churchyard. Connor was staring at a woman dressed in a nun's garb who stood before the graves, her head bowed. I shivered as I realised how many of the graves looked fresh.

"S…Sister Kari?" asked Connor, his voice shaking. The nun coughed, looked up, and my eyes widened. She looked hollow, as though she had not had enough nourishment, and there were deep bags beneath her eyes. She looked terribly ill.

"Connor," said Sister Kari. "Sister, what happened to you?" Connor asked, sounding horror-struck. As she opened her mouth to answer, she was caught up in a great coughing fit. When she finished, she said, "Connor, you need to leave, you and your friends. Now, before it's too late!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Connor, bewildered. I rather shared the sentiment. Opal and Sydney appeared to, as well. "Sister Kari, what is going on here?"

Sister Kari swallowed. "The contagion," she said. "Things have changed around here since the earthquake, Connor. This contagion's been spreading like wildfire. Get out, before you catch it too!"

_Earthquake? _I thought. Had the quake affected even areas as far from Angel Falls as Coffinwell? Where would its effects end?

Connor's mind, however, seemed to be travelling down another path. "Uncle Jack, and Aunt Hailey, and Lily…" he said, and the nun bowed her head. "Lily left us only this morning," she murmured. "And your aunt and uncle died nearly two weeks ago."

Connor's face crumpled. Before I could even attempt to console him (how could I console him? How did one offer comfort in death?), he had sprinted to the graves. He fell onto his knees before two; one the double grave of those married, one a small single grave. Slowly, I followed him, Sydney and Opal beside me.

Connor shook slightly. I heard Sister Kari cough again as Sydney placed a hand on Connor's shoulder, but he shook it off roughly. "Leave me be," he said.

"Go find an inn," I murmured. "I shall look after him."

After a moment of hesitation, Opal nodded and pulled Sydney away from the churchyard. I kneeled gently on the cobblestones beside Connor, putting an arm over his shoulders. He tensed, then relaxed into me. He was visibly restraining tears.

"I am so sorry," I murmured, putting my other arm around him. "Me, too," he said, his voice breaking. "They didn't deserve this."

His face went an odd shape. "Do not be afraid to cry," I murmured, tightening my arms. Connor needed comfort; this was the only comfort I could offer to him. "I am here for you."  
>He held out a moment longer, and then the waterworks burst free. I held him as best I could, rubbing his back gently, feeling his tears on my bare shoulder. He had rested his head there. I leaned my own head against his, wishing I could say something to ease his pain. I felt oddly protective as I held him, in a way that had naught to do with physical pain- at the moment.<p>

We sat together before the graves for hours, until Connor's sobs had been reduced to weak hiccoughs. Then, slowly, he pulled back, and I had to look up to look into his eyes. They were very red.

"I'm sorry," Connor said, his voice weak. I shook my head. "Do not apologise," I told him. "It was your right. I am only glad that I was able to give you a shoulder to cry upon."

Connor gave a very weak approximation of a smile. Then: "Almighty help us, but we've got to try to do something."

"What can we do?" I asked. "This is a disease, a contagion. I do not believe any of us have the skills to even attempt to help the city."

"You could always talk to Mayor Laria," suggested a voice behind us and to our left. We turned, and Sister Kari stood in the door of the church. "Laria?" asked Connor, his voice still weak. "What does he know about healing?"

"I don't know," Sister Kari said, "but he's supposed to be working with Phlegming on finding out what's wrong." As she finished saying this, she broke into a coughing fit. We watched, concerned, until she stopped.

"Phlegming?" asked Connor. "Wasn't he that unsociable archaeologist courting Laria's daughter?"

"Catarrhina," said Sister Kari nodding. "They got married just before the earthquake, and apparently he and Laria are working together. I'd advise visiting Laria first, though- Phlegming likely won't open up to anyone but Catarrhina."

"Thank you, Sister Kari," I said as Connor and I rose. I sighed as my knees left the stones- they had viciously protested the prolonged contact. "Shall we?" I murmured to Connor as Sister Kari returned to the inside of the church. He nodded. "Let's get Opal and Sydney first, though."

We walked through the streets, arms still around one another, until we reached the inn. Sydney and Opal sat at a table, eating- it must have been at least midday, I realised, as I realised also how very hungry I was. Connor's stomach growled audibly, and I smiled slightly as we let go of one another to sit.

"Are you all right?" Sydney asked gently. Connor looked down at the plate of food I slid before him. "I don't know," he said. "But we found out something interesting."

"The mayor of Coffinwell and an archaeologist named Phlegming are attempting to find the cause of the contagion," I explained as I dug in to the food I had gotten for myself. "I think we ought to visit the mayor once we have eaten."

Sydney nodded. "We have to try to help these people," she said, and I should not have been surprised at the passion in her voice as she said it. She was a priest, after all, and a healer; she would no more leave people suffering than cut off her right hand.

So we ate.

We found Mayor Laria in the library of his mansion, sitting with his head bent over a manuscript. "So that's what it says!" he murmured, then, "…Oh, it's no use. I don't understand a word of it. I'll have to rely on his help after all. I have no choice. I must do something before more people suffer needlessly."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair, and jumped slightly when he saw us. "Oh! I beg your pardon. I didn't realise I had guests. I'm Mayor Laria. May I assist you with something?"

"We are very sorry to disturb you, sir," I said as we entered the room. "We are worried about what is happening in the city, and we wish to be of assistance in any way possible." My Celestrian reserve always returned when I spoke to strangers. Perhaps it was a good thing; I enjoyed being more free with Connor and Opal and Sydney, but I had no desire to be so with those I did not know.

"Hmm," mused Laria. "You're concerned about what's going on here in Coffinwell? Very well. I'll tell you all I know." He paused for a moment, then began.

"I'm sure you're already aware that Coffinwell has been hit by a contagious disease. The fact is, the very same disease attacked the town a century ago."

My eyes widened as I remembered: Coffinwell's Guardian, a man named Delphinus, had spoken with Apus Major about a disease in Coffinwell! I had been young- by Celestrian standards- at the time, and had paid little attention.

"I started looking though the ancient manuscripts for a solution, but I'm afraid I barely understand a word. I won't be beaten, though! I passed them on to Phlegming in the hope that he might be able to make some sense of them. I imagine it won't be long before he turns something up, but I'm afraid I'm rather loath to go and ask him in person."

His eyes seemed to light up then, and he said, "Of course! You care about what's been going on here, don't you? In that case, perhaps you could pop along to Phlegming's place and see how he's getting on? His house is just to the west of the mansion. Sorry to trouble you, but I really would appreciate it if you paid him a visit." He hesitated for a moment, and looked at Connor. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Connor. Jack, Hailey, and Lily were much loved, and they'll be much missed by everyone."

I looked at Connor. He nodded in response to Laria, but something seemed…off about his expression. "Connor, are you all right?" I asked, worry rising up in me. I tried to fight it down before it could name itself and make itself fully known.

"I don't…know," he replied. "I was feeling off all through lu- lun-"

He broke off into a terrible coughing fit. The worry I had tried to fight down rose up inside me, as panic now. "Connor?" I asked. "Connor?"

The coughing increased in intensity and volume until I feared he would choke. Then, suddenly, it stopped, and Connor collapsed.

"Connor!" I cried, falling onto my knees beside him. "No, no, no!" My fingers fumbled for his wrists, felt his forehead. His pulse was fast and irregular; his skin was hot to the touch.

"Almighty above us," Sydney whispered, sounding strangled.

My fear had been proved terribly correct.

Connor had caught the contagion.


	4. Chapter 4

I sat beside Connor's bed, looking at his pale, sweaty face in the light from the window. He had been unconscious for nearly four hours since his collapse in Mayor Laria's manor. As I stroked his chin-length hair, I felt the wet rag I had put on his forehead. Once again, it was warm, and I took it off to soak it once more in the bowl of ice water on the table.

I had been doing that nearly every five minutes, attempting to keep his temperature normal. He had been burning up since his collapse, coughing feverishly in his sleep. A half-hour after we had brought him back to the inn, Sydney had attempted to take over for me, but I had all but fought her to stay by Connor. I did not wish to let anyone else take care of him.

I had suggested that they go to speak to Phlegming without me, but they had refused. They had gone to the weapons and armour shops instead, and still had not returned. No doubt Opal was trying on every article of clothing they had to offer.

As I replaced the rag, I heard the door creak open. "How's he doing?" Sydney asked quietly. She had on a red-and-yellow bandanna, a shell shield, and she had a new staff- spiky on the thick end, with white patterns. "No better, no worse," I replied. "How was shopping?" My voice was flat.

"Opal tried on everything in the store twice before she finally decided on something," Sydney said. A ghost of a smile touched my lips. "What did she choose?"

At that moment, Opal walked in, wearing a white turban over her hair, a green tunic with a brown leather cape, slime-shaped earrings, another of the shell shields, and an oddly shaped purple knife at her belt. I had to raise an eyebrow. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"As much as I could," Opal replied, faking her old cheer. "And we got you some things too, if you want them."

She came into the room and set down an armful of things. I looked at them with a glimmer of interest as I wet my fingers and wiped some of the sweat off Connor's face. There was an iron cuirass, a very red skirt, a shell shield of my own, and a new fan. It looked far lighter than my iron fan, and it looked as though it would close, as well.

"Thank you," I said. When I made no move to do anything with the new clothing, Opal nudged me. "Well, aren't you going to try it on?"

I shrugged. Sydney folded her arms. "Zera, you've been sitting here for four hours. You need to get up. Sitting here with Connor won't make him any better, and all you'll do is make yourself sick- with worry, if nothing else. Put on the new clothes, then go and talk to Phlegming. Opal and I will watch over Connor. We won't let anything happen, I promise."

When I hesitated, Sydney grasped my arm and pulled me up from the chair. I was too surprised to fight her- who would have guessed that Sydney would do such a thing? I picked up the clothes and retreated to my own room, knowing that I would not win if I chose to fight.

When I finished changing, I let my hair out of its ponytail for the first time in days in order to comb it. It reached down almost to my waist, a curtain of purple darker than Erinn's. I paused in surprise in front of the mirror, looking at myself. Then I smiled slightly- I had not taken off my headband, and most of my hair stuck up oddly. I fixed the band so that it was over my hair rather than under it, and looked again.

The smile faded from my lips as I realised that I had never looked more mortal, more like the minstrel most people believed me to be. I did not know what to think of that. I was becoming more and more of a mortal, in bearing and manner at least. While I enjoyed it in a way, it was rather bittersweet. I was travelling down a path that seemed to be taking me ever farther from my master. Would I ever see him again? Would I ever know if he was safe?

I shook my head sharply in an attempt to clear it, and began on my way to Phlegming's home.

I knocked on the door. The knock was received in silence. When a second knock produced no more response, I pushed it open and observed the room within.

It was rather simple: a table, two chairs, a stove, two bookshelves, and two beds. A woman of about Patty's age lay sleeping on the one closest to me, light green hair partially across her face.

"Erm, excuse me," I called uncertainly. The woman stirred, blinked, and saw me. "Oops!" she said, hopping up. "Sorry, I must have dozed off. …I seem to be doing that an awful lot lately... Oh! Ahem, are you looking for Phlegmy, by any chance? Oops! I mean Dr Phlegming, my husband."

She giggled. "Eek! Husband! I feel all silly calling him that. Do excuse my waffling! I'm afraid Phlegmy's at work in his laboratory."

"Mayor Laria asked that I speak with him," I told her. Her eyes widened. "Really? Well, in that case, I'll go along with you and let you into the laboratory. Phlegmy's a bit shy around strangers, you see."

She began to move towards the door, and stopped. "Oops! Where are my manners? I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Phlegmy's wife, Catarrhina."

"My name is Zera," I told her. Catarrhina beamed, a smile that would not have looked out of place on Opal's face, and I illogically warmed to her. "It's very nice to meet you!" she said, and I nodded. "Likewise."

She led me out of the house. As we walked, I heard her murmur, "I can't believe Daddy would ask a stranger to visit Phlegmy. Does he really find him that hard to talk to?"

She coughed slightly at the end, sounding as though she were clearing her throat. "Anyway, here we are! I'll get him to open up," she said, gesturing at a door set into the back of an alley. I looked at it doubtfully. The paint was peeling, the handle scratched. It looked as though this door had been here since the last time the contagion had attacked Coffinwell.

Catarrhina knocked on the door in an odd pattern, and a man's voice came from inside: "Catarrhina? Is that you? What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Sorry to disturb you, Phlegmy," Catarrhina said. "You have a visitor. Daddy's sent a messenger to find out how you're getting along with deciphering the old manuscripts."

The voice behind the door harrumphed. "Well, I suppose you'd better come in, then." Catarrhina opened the door and walked in. I followed, looking around in interest. Bookshelves filled with rather old-looking books lined all the walls but one. Against that one wall was a desk covered in more books and papers. A man with messy hair bound into a ponytail sat there, facing away from us.

"I have a million and one things to do at the moment, but I suppose a messenger from Father-in-law takes precedence." The man turned and stood, revealing bright blue eyes, spectacles, a slightly unshaved chin, and the fact that he was rather tall. "So, what can I- oh, that's right. You've come to find out how I'm getting along with those manuscripts, haven't you?"

"You're forgetting something, Phlegmy!" said Catarrhina, putting her hands on her hips and making a teasingly stern face. "You haven't introduced yourself yet."

Phlegming rolled his shoulders. "I don't see how that matters. Silly, time-consuming formality, in my opinion." Catarrhina cocked her head to the side, and Phlegming's slightly irritated featured softened into a slight smile. "Oh, very well. Pleased to meet you. The name's Dr Phlegming. I study archaeology and the like. And you are…?"

"I am Zera," I said to him. He nodded once, a rather birdlike gesture. "Well, I'll try to remember your name, but I can't guarantee I'll be successful. Anyway, never mind that. I think I've found a clue in the old manuscripts as to the nature of the illness that's been going round."

Catarrhina beamed. "Oh, Phlegmy, I knew you could do it!" she cheered, throwing her arms around him enthusiastically. Phlegming smiled as he detached her, and she clung stubbornly to his arm as he continued.

"Around a hundred years ago, some old ruins were discovered to the west of town. The people who discovered them rather rashly decided that it would be a good idea to venture inside." From his tone, I could tell he thought rather little of those who had gone in. He adjusted his spectacles, then continued:

"Little did they know that terrible misfortune lay in wait in the form of a deadly contagion. It's this contagion that lies behind out current epidemic. According to the manuscripts, it's actually more accurate to refer to it as a curse than a disease. The townspeople were able to break the curse be sealing the contagion away in the ruins and blocking up the entrance."

This was not new to me. Delphinus had discussed this with Apus Major; he had in fact been the one to give the people of Coffinwell the idea of sealing the contagion away.

Catarrhina's brow had contracted. "But somehow the disease has managed to escape again?" Phlegming looked to her. "It's possible that the recent earthquake may have caused some damage to the seal that was keeping it contained."

Was there no end to the misfortune this earthquake caused? "So all we have to do it go to the shrine and seal it away again?" asked Catarrhina, looking into her husband's face. "Indeed," Phlegming replied. "Although it's not quite as simple as it sounds. I'm probably the only one who'd be able to do it, in fact."

Catarrhina's cheerful face lit up. "Ooh! So you're going to fix the seal and save us all, Phlegmy?" Phlegming smiled at her words. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt," he said teasingly. His smile turned slightly wry at the corners. "It might even encourage your father to finally think me worthy of you."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It would also be a good opportunity to explore the ruins, so I'm certainly not adverse to the idea. The only problem is that the monster activity there is reportedly rather heavy, and I don't want to get hurt…"

"We can help there," I offered. Phlegming and Catarrhina both looked at me. "'We'?" asked Phlegming, raising a brow. I nodded. "My companions and I- Connor and Opal and Sydney." I closed my mouth very suddenly. I had spoken without thinking, Connor's name coming out of habit. "My apologies- only Sydney, Opal, and myself. I have a…rather personal stake in this contagion being sealed away."

"Aah," Catarrhina said. "Well, Phlegmy?"

Phlegmy adjusted his spectacles once more. "Three teenagers?" he asked. "I don't mean to sound rude, but…"

I smiled wryly. "I understand perfectly, Dr Phlegming," I said, "but we are more than we look. Even Opal."

Phlegming raised a brow. "Trust me, sir," I said. Phlegming hesitated. "I wouldn't be paying you," he hedged. "That does not matter," I said. "I wish to do whatever I can to help seal away this contagion." My voice very nearly cracked as I said that last sentence, and I was surprised at myself. My reserve was breaking.

Phlegming looked at me for a moment. Despite what I remembered Connor saying about Phlegming being unsociable, he seemed to be rather perceptive- he seemed to see straight through the remainder of my reserve. "Very well," he said.

I smiled. "Thank you, Dr Phlegming," I said. He smiled slightly.

"Well, perhaps you could report back to Da- um, the mayor, and tell him what's happened. Now we know all this, it's a huge step forward. You really are amazing, Phlegmy!" She reached up on the tips of her toes to kiss him, but Phlegming still had to lean down slightly to meet her.

Catarrhina broke away from him suddenly, coughing. "Oh-" she coughed, "sorry, I must have-" cough- "gotten something caught in my throat in all the excitement." She coughed once more, a throat-clearing one. I looked at her concernedly, then shook my head and left.

"And you volunteered the three of us as bodyguards?" asked Opal. I nodded. "I am sorry. I should have asked you, but what else was I to say? I do not believe he would have agreed to go otherwise."

"No, it's fine," Sydney said. "Yeah," Opal agreed. "Just clearing up details, right? So what do you say we go back to the mayor?"

"In a moment," I said. I took a step slightly closer to Connor's bedside. "I would like a minute alone, please." Sydney nodded. "We'll wait outside. Come on, Opal."

She and Opal left the room. I leaned down by Connor's head. His eyes were closed, his breathing uneven. "I shall be back soon, Connor," I promised. "We will stop this contagion." Hesitantly, I leaned down farther and kissed him gently on his brow.

As I rose and turned to leave, I heard a weak voice from behind me: "Zera?"

I turned. "Connor!" I said. "You should not speak."

"Where are you going?" asked Connor weakly. "Don't leave." I returned to his bed and laid my hand on top of his, kneeling. "Opal, Sydney, and I are going with Dr Phlegming to stop the contagion," I said. "This disease will take no one else." _And most definitely not you, _I vowed to myself.

As I began to rise, Connor clutched my hand weakly. "Don't," he said, breathing quickly. "Please don't leave me."

The fact that he used what strength he had now, when he was so very ill, to keep me with him meant more to me than anything else. The idea of leaving him hurt, but it would hurt far, far more if my unwillingness to leave led to his death.

"I must," I said. "But I will return soon, I swear. Will you wait by the entrance of the city once you are better?"

"Okay," Connor said, and his lids closed.

I stood for a moment, looking at his wan, sickly face. But there was a strength there, even in the grip of the contagion. Connor would survive. I would not allow him to die.

Slowly, I turned to join Sydney and Opal.

We found the mayor still sitting in his library. "Ah, I was wondering where you'd got to!" he said when we entered. "So, what did you find out?"

"Dr Phlegming has discovered what to do about the contagion," I said. "And we are going to accompany him to the ruins to keep him safe from monsters."

"Hmm… well, you do look like you can take care of yourselves," Laria said. "Is he paying you for this?" I shook my head. "No, but it does not matter." Laria folded his arms. "Well, I'll be sure to make it worth your while," he said. "What do you say?"

I looked at Opal and Sydney. Sydney nodded. "Very well," I said, looking back at Laria. He smiled. "Excellent, excellent! Much obliged and all that. Well, we'd better not waste any time. Take this key to Phlegming, won't you?" He handed me a very odd-looking key. "That's the key to the shrine west of town. You should be able to open it up with that."

"Sealing away a deadly disease is the perfect way to help people!" exclaimed Stella then, making my teeth clench. "Imagine how grateful they'll all be if we succeed! We'll have barnloads of benevolessence! You'll be a fully-fledged Celestrian again in the wink of an eye!"

_That is it,_ I thought. I smiled thinly and thanked the mayor. "Stella," I hissed as we left the library. "What?" she asked. "I understand that you are very concerned with returning to the Observatory, but at the moment I do not think I can take another tactless word out of your pink-and-glitter mouth. If you do not treat this situation with any more politeness, I will slap you across the face!"

Stella stopped talking- a miracle in itself. I smiled fiercely, feeling quite pleased with myself. Opal and Sydney were looking at me oddly. "Stella made a rather tactless comment about what we are about to do."

"Ah," said Opal. I swallowed, and blinked. "Follow me," I said. "We should go to see Phlegming."

"Dr Phlegming?" I called outside the lab. "…Zera, wasn't it?" came Phlegming's voice from behind the door. "Yes," I replied. "And Opal and Sydney are with me."

"Come in, then," replied Phlegming. I pushed the door open and we entered.

Catarrhina was still there. Her cheeks were slightly red, and I suddenly felt rather embarrassed. We had obviously interrupted something.

"Hm?" asked Phlegming, spotting the key in my hand. "What's that key you've got there?" I held it up. "It is the key to the ruins. Mayor Laria gave it to me, since we will be going to the ruins with you." I handed it to him.

For several moments, Phlegming examined the key interestedly. "Fascinating…" he murmured. Then: "Well, I'd better go then, hadn't I? I don't want the old man to think I'm all mouth and no trousers."

"Um," Catarrhina said hesitantly, "I'm not sure it's quite like that, Phlegmy…"

"There's no time to stand about discussing the whys and wherefores. We need to leave for the shrine right away."

He leaned down and kissed Catarrhina very enthusiastically. I shifted uncomfortably, not certain where to look. When they broke apart, Phlegming looked to us. "Well, let's get going then!"

He seemed rather excited as we headed out the door. I heard a cough from Catarrhina and looked back in concern, but the door had already closed.

And so we headed to the ruins.

"These ruins are called the Quarantomb," Phlegming told us as we stood before the ruins a half-hour later. I was slightly tired- it was late, and we had been forced to fight several monsters who had chased us down.

Phlegming inserted the key almost reverently into the lock of the Quarantomb. There was a look of excitement upon his face, and despite my worries, I was intrigued to see the interior of the Quarantomb. All I had heard from Phlegming, Laria, and the conversation between Delphinus and Apus Major a century previous had me extremely interested to see what the people of Coffinwell had done in order to seal away the contagion.

Inside, there was a rectangular room. It should have been fully surrounded by wall on all four sides, but there was a large hole in the wall opposite us, nearly large enough to let Phlegming through without requiring him to duck.

"See here?" asked Phlegming, gesturing to the wall. "It's just as I said. The shrine wall collapsed in the earthquake, and the entrance has been left wide open. It doesn't bode well for the seal that's supposed to be keeping the contagion contained."

He turned to look at us. "We'd better head inside. Make sure you do what you said you would. I can't afford to get injured."

I nodded once. "On it," said Opal. Sydney merely readjusted her grip on her staff. We stepped forward and through the hole in the wall.

The interior of the Quarantomb was rather dark and damp-looking. I saw shadowy figures in the corners of my vision and drew my new war fan. I felt only slightly safer with it out. A chill ran down my spine as a monster hissed from my right, and I whipped around, but there was nothing there. I shivered.

A large stone stood in the middle of a four-path intersect before a pair of doors with a red and a blue jewel set into the stone. There was writing on the stone before us, I realised. We approached it to look.

"'When the sages reawaken/ Comes crimson light and blue/ Travel right, oh guiding light/ and make the doors swing to'," I read. "That's one of the things the townspeople used to keep people away from the contagion," Phlegming said. "I know how to open this. Just make sure the monsters don't attack, won't you?"

"Yes, sir!" said Opal, giving a salute. Phlegming gave what was nearly a laugh and set off along the left path. I tightened my grip on my fan as I saw a grimy mummy boy lumbering around a corner ahead of us, but it ignored our party. However, I could not relax. The Quarantomb was too dark and monster-filled for my liking.

At each intersection we passed, there was a large, full-length mirror. I did not ask Phlegming what they were for- I did not want to make any noise in the ruins. Even the quiet sounds of our footsteps echoed unnaturally loud through the corridors.

In the back corner of the ruins stood a statue of a wise-looking man holding a wand. Phlegming indicated a button on the wall. "Watch," he said, pressing it. Suddenly, an incredibly bright blue light shone directly in my eyes. "Ow!" I cried, jumping out of the way. Phlegming raised a brow at me.

Attempting to pretend nothing had happened, I looked off at where the light headed. Part of the way down the corridor, it hit one of the mirrors and changed direction.

_That is what the mirrors are for! _I thought, the poem on the stone coming clear. "Where is the red sage?" I asked Phlegming, turning from the blue beam. Phlegming smiled. "Right down this direction," he said, pointing. Down at the end of another long, straight corridor, there stood the shadowy figure of a second statue.

"Let's go!" said Sydney, sounding nearly as enthused as Opal. I could not help smiling, despite the fear the ruins inspired in me. "Yes," I agreed.

I had to restrain myself to keep at a walking pace. I was rather surprised at myself- my Celestrian reserve was becoming less each moment! - but it did not matter. Each second, we came closer to freeing Coffinwell- and Connor- from the contagion, and I could not wait for the moment to come in which Connor would no longer be so terribly, deathly ill.

For a moment, the memory of Connor's sickly, wan face filled my mind, and I very nearly stumbled. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I clenched my teeth in an attempt to hold them there. I would not allow my oddly fluid emotions to overtake me at such a crucial time!

When Phlegming pressed the button on the second sage's wand and the crimson light shone forth, there was a grinding sound from the front of the ruins. This time, I could not help myself, and apparently neither could Sydney, Opal, nor even Phlegming, for we all abandoned all caution and sprinted through the corridors to the doors beyond the stone.

They had swung open, revealing an octagonal room. In the centre stood a slight rise, upon which sat a jar. It was tipped on its side, its lid was missing, and a section of it was broken in jagged pieces around it. Behind the rise was a set of stairs that no doubt descended to the lower levels of the ruins.

We four approached the jar, breathing heavily after our sprint. "Fascinating!" said Phlegming. "It's just as the manuscripts described. The jar over there must be where the contagion was sealed away."

He kneeled down before it, examining it closely. "And just as I feared, it was damaged in the earthquake." He examined it silently for a moment. Then: "Ah, we're in luck! The section with the seal drawn on it is still intact. Patching this up should be a piece of cake for a top archaeologist like myself."

He rather sounded as though he were giving himself a pep talk. He continued to talk to himself as Opal, Sydney, and I stared around the chamber. I was rather impressed by it.

Phlegming had begun collecting the pieces. "I just need to get all of the pieces together…." He moved around the side of the jar and took out a small pot of something. "And then take my special glue…"

As he began working, my attention was distracted by something above the jar. It shaped itself as I watched, into a hideous pink and green beast with a single eye in the centre of its body and two that were upon stalks. My stomach turned at the reek of illness that filled the chamber at its appearance.

"Are you no-good, nose-pokin' buckaroos here to try and cram me back into that teeny-tiny little ol' pot? Well, I ain't gonna let y'all, y'hear? Uh-uh, no siree! The Ragin' Contagion's gonna keep a-ragin'! Ragin', ragin', ragin'!"

Phlegming picked up the jar and the pieces and backed away in obvious alarm. "S-so this is the contagion that's been troubling the town? Drat! I haven't finished f-fixing the jar yet."

He looked at us, and I could see fright behind his spectacles. "Don't just stand there!" he cried. "If you don't do your job and fight that abomination, I can't do mine! I need more time! Go on, keep it occupied while I get this jar back together!"

Abomination was most definitely the correct word, I thought as the Ragin' Contagion turned to us. I shuddered. "Sakes alive, ya pesky critter!" it cried, and I nearly threw up as its stench washed over me anew. "I'm gonna have to send your sorry hide to the bone orchard once and for all!"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I looked at Opal and Sydney. They looked rather pale, and I bit my lip as I realised that such close contact with the monster that was the cause of the contagion could well cause them to catch it, as well. And what if Phlegming caught it? I would not be able to fix the jar, even if I were able to defeat the Ragin' Contagion without my friends.

But all such thoughts fled my mind as the Ragin' Contagion charged us, and I had to leap out of the way. "Yahh!" cried Sydney as she held her staff up. A powerful gust of wind ripped out of it and straight through the contagion. I grinned. "That is an excellent trick!" I said. Sydney grinned.

As I spoke, Opal cast Crack, impaling the Contagion in the head. It roared angrily, but before it could attack Opal, I cast one of the two spells she had taught me on our journey to the Quarantomb- Whoosh. I could not help the slightly savage grin that came to my face as small whirlwinds ripped around and through the Contagion.

Now it turned its attention to me, growling. "Ya won't get away with that, ya pesky thing!" it cried, and rushed me. I could not dodge quickly enough to avoid its jaws, which dripped with horrible-smelling green slime. I cried out as the Contagion's teeth bit into my arm, and the wounds burned oddly. _I cannot let it bite Opal or Sydney!_ I realised. _The Contagion's teeth may infect them._

But before I could attempt to distract its attention, it attacked Sydney. "Watch out!" I cried, but an instant too slow. The Contagion's teeth bit deep into the young priest's arm, and she yelled. "Heal, Sydney!" I shouted. "Cast Heal!" Sydney's hand glowed blue as she attempted to heal the wound, but the hand in question was shaky already. She coughed.

_No!_

Opal cast Frizz, the flame spell she had shown us in Stornway. The Contagion growled as the flame hit its side, and turned on Opal. As it did, however, I cast the other spell Opal had taught me: Crackle.

A large icicle sprouted beneath the Contagion, stabbing into its underside. It roared angrily and charged me once again. I folded into a ball and rolled, a trick I had perfected during the lazy days watching over Angel Falls. The Contagion flew over my head, straight through the area I had occupied a second before. A drip of the slime fell onto my arm, and my eyes began to water. It felt as though a drop of fire had landed upon my arm!

I rubbed at the spot vigorously, attempting to scrub away the burning slime, but I only succeeded at spreading it around. Grimacing, I stood, intent upon keeping the Contagion at least away from Opal. Sydney was already ill, coughing hard, leaning heavily upon her staff.

Opal blocked the Contagion with her shield, and cast Crack with her knife hand. An icicle crashed down upon the monster's head, and before it could recover, I sliced at it with my fan.

I had expected it to attack me, but it raced for Opal instead. "No!" I shouted, but it was too late. The Contagion's jaws closed on Opal's arm, leaving deep wounds. _Heal! _I thought desperately, extending my hand, but I could not cast it- I had exhausted my spelling ability with my previous spells. Opal began coughing hard.

I rushed the Contagion, intending to slice it in two. It turned, and I raised my shield to block its teeth, but it did not bite. Instead, it rammed me, sending me flying through the air to crash into one of the walls of the chamber. My fan came loose from my grip and landed in another corner as the Contagion bore down upon me.

"You durned Celestrian!" it spat, sending globules of its acidic slime onto my face. The stench of its breath was overwhelming, and I felt hopelessness envelop me. I could not fight this disease. Opal would die, Sydney would die, the people of Coffinwell would die…Connor would die. And I was powerless to stop it.

"Y'all won't never stop my ragin'…ragin', ragin'…ragin'! Yeehaw…I'm a ragin'…contagion…"

The odd, halting manner of the Contagion's speech surprised me. What was happening?

Then I heard a familiar voice, saying possibly the best thing I could hear at that moment: "I've done it! It's fixed!" Phlegming's voice was triumphant, excited. "And not a moment too soon."

He paused. When he spoke again, he sounded as though he were reciting something. "Now, sacred jar, seal away this evil beast!"

The Ragin' Contagion jerked away from me in the direction of the jar, which I saw was now upright and solidly whole. "Aw, shoot!" it cried, struggling. "Not the gosh-durned pot again! Noooooooooo!"

The Contagion was now directly above the jar. Suddenly, it was wholly sucked down into it, and Phlegming slammed the lid onto the top.

I rose slowly, amazed at the sudden turn of events. "Sir…you saved us," I said, looking at the bespectacled man with new respect. He did not seem to hear me, however. He turned slowly towards me. "Did you see that?" he asked, a grin beginning to spread across his features. "Did you see what I did? I sealed that confounded contagion away! Ha ha! Now Father-in-law will have to change his tune and show me some respect at last!"

Across the chamber, Sydney and Opal were standing, as well. I exchanged amazed looks with them, then we looked back to Phlegming. My heart was beating quickly, not from the excitement and terror of the battle, but with the thought of returning to Coffinwell, but about Connor.

What if we were too late?

I shoved the fear away before it could incapacitate me. We were not too late, I told myself sternly. I could not allow myself to imagine that idea.

"Well, we've done what we came to do," said Phlegming, grin still upon his face. "Now I can finally explore the ruins at my leisure. You can head off now. I'd rather not be distracted, is it's all the same to you. I'll have a look around and see what's what. Perhaps you three could return to Coffinwell and let them know how it all went."

I nodded. Phlegming all but sprinted down the stairs in the back of the room. "Let us go," I suggested, striding towards the door. And we began our journey back to Coffinwell.

When the lights of the city came into view- it was very late by now- I felt myself begin to run. Knowing I would not be able to control myself, I threw caution to the winds and sprinted for the gate of town. Several surprised monsters leapt out of my path as I tore through the night, hoping against hope that Connor would be waiting for me.

When I reached the entrance, I stopped abruptly, looking about. Where was he? Had Connor forgotten that he had promised to wait at the gates? I fought down the panic that rose up within me as I briefly considered the possibility that we were, indeed, too late.

Then I heard a familiar voice from my left: "Zera!"

I turned, relief more powerful than I possibly could have imagined coursing through me. "Connor!" I cried, rushing to him. He chuckled as I threw my arms about him.

"No need to attack!" he teased. I looked up at him, smiling, and not letting go. "I was frightened," I said. "I thought we may have been too late." Then I buried my head against the hollow that his throat made between his chest and head. My reserve had disappeared, every last trace, and I could not have been more glad to see it leave. The physical proof that Connor was alive was the most convincing, far more so than any visible proof. And the knowledge that he was alive was wonderful.

"Connor, you're okay!" came Opal's excited voice from behind me. I released Connor, taking his hand instead. Connor smiled. "Whatever you did with Phlegming, it worked," he said. I shook my head. "It was all Phlegming," I told him. "If not for him, the Contagion would have taken Sydney and Opal, and…eaten me, I believe."

"Eaten?" asked three voices at once. I shrugged. "I do not know exactly what it intended to do, and I am glad I did not find out," I told them. "Shall we go speak to Mayor Laria?"

"Good idea," Sydney said. We set off up the stairs, and I saw the ghost of an old man standing beside the graves. Delphinus had talked about him, I remembered suddenly: he was one of the ones who had died in the first attack of the contagion, and had made it his business to watch over the town. I nodded to him respectfully as we passed.

As I looked back at Connor, I saw to my surprise that he appeared to be looking at the ghost. "Connor?" I asked, my brows knitting together. "What…can you see…?" I did not know how to phrase the question.

"The man by the graves?" Connor asked. I nodded mutely. "Yes," Connor replied. "But…he is a ghost," I said. Connor nodded. "I know."

Opal and Sydney were looking at us. "What ghost?" Opal asked. "There is a ghost standing beside the graves," I said, nodding towards him. Then I looked to Connor. "Have you always seen him?"

Connor shook his head. "Only since I got better," he told me.

I was confused. How could Connor see the man? I searched through my memories, hoping to find something that explained it. I found nothing. Until…

_The kiss of a Celestrian to one who is beloved_

_Opens up a world of sight to one whose sight was gloved._

It was a couplet from a book of Celestrian poetry I had once read. I had thought it a simple scrap of doggerel, pleasing to read but meaningless. Was there more to it than I had imagined? The memory of the kiss I had bestowed upon Connor's brow was strong in my mind.

"There was a poem…" I murmured. Connor, Opal, and Sydney all looked to me. "What are you talking about?" asked Sydney. "I read a poem once that…well, that may explain why it is Connor can see the ghost."

"Tell it to us!" enthused Opal. I smiled. One could always could upon Opal to be excited in an odd situation such as this!

I recited the poem for them: "'The kiss of a Celestrian to one who is beloved/ Opens up a world of sight to one whose sight was gloved.'" This was followed by silence. We walked up the stairs toward Laria's mansion.

"'Kiss'?" asked Connor after the pause. I felt my cheeks warm several degrees, and I was suddenly rather glad of the dark. "I, erm…before we left for the ruins…I may have kissed Connor upon the brow," I admitted, looking determinedly at the mansion before us.

This was greeted with an even longer pause. Suddenly, I heard Stella's voice from my right. "You _WHAT_!"

I jumped and turned to look. The faerie girl was flying towards us at high speed, and only very closely avoided crashing into my shoulder. "Excuse me, but did you just say what I flapping think you said?" she asked. "You _kissed _him! Why wasn't I told about this? Why'd you do it, anyway?"

She broke off abruptly, looking over my shoulder. I followed her gaze to see Connor stopped, staring at the skinny faerie. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. Finally, he stuttered, "A-are you…Stella?"

Stella put her hands on her hips. "Who'd you think I was, that hideous witch you fought up in that dank old ruin? Wait!" Her brown eyes suddenly widened. "You can flapping see me!"

I fixed her with a sarcastic, brow-raised stare. "And it took you this long to realise that?"

"Yeah, well…" she muttered. I looked at Connor. He was staring openly at Stella. "Are you alright?" I asked. It took a moment for him to answer. "I…I think so. Kind of in shock."

A half-smile touched my lips. "Meeting Stella can do that."

"Hey!" Stella cried indignantly, but I ignored her. Opal and Sydney were staring at us blankly. By way of explanation, I said, "It appears that Connor can see Stella, as well."

"Stella…the faerie?" asked Sydney. I nodded. Opal sighed. "Wish I could see a faerie…"

After a rather long pause, I said, "Erm…well, shall we go to see the mayor?"

"Ah, I've been waiting for you to get back," said Laria. "I must admit, I'm pleasantly surprised that Phlegming managed to seal the contagion away. Where is the hero of the day, anyway? I thought he'd be with you."

"He decided to explore the ruins for a time," I explained. Laria frowned. "The silly fool! And there I was, starting to think he might not be so bad after all," he complained. "Hmph. Never mind. When he finally does show his face, we'll hold a banquet to celebrate. You'll pass the news along to Catarrhina, won't you? No doubt she'll be thrilled to hear of his success."

"We shall, sir," I said, nodding. With that, we left the room and Laria's mansion. I yawned as we walked down to the home Phlegming and Catarrhina lived in. It had truly been a long- and incredibly stress-filled- day.

There was no answer when we knocked upon the door, but that did not bother me. Candlelight flickered in the window, and I assumed Catarrhina had fallen asleep waiting for Phlegming's return. So I pushed open the door and we went inside.

Catarrhina lay upon the bed, quite still. She looked to be fast asleep, but something seemed wrong. "Something isn't right," murmured Sydney. I nodded in agreement. Slowly, the four of us approached the bed. My breath caught as I realised what was wrong.

She was not breathing.

"No," I whispered. I looked from her face, to her feet, and back again, and my heart wrenched as I realised something else. There was a slight bulge to her stomach, only visible because she was lying down. Catarrhina was- had been- carrying Phlegming's child.

I felt my eyes begin to tear. At that moment, I heard Phlegming's voice from outside: "I'm home, Catarrhina!"

We turned to the door. "I'll be off again soon, though. I'm just back to fetch a few papers to help me explore those ruins." As he said it, he entered the house. Then he froze, seeing all of us gathered by Catarrhina's bed. Slowly, his bright blue eyes moved to Catarrhina's breathless form on the bed.

"…Catarrhina? You're very quiet." He stood for a moment, then sprinted to his wife's bedside. We moved wordlessly out of the way. "What's wrong, Catarrhina? Answer me?" I could hear the desperation in his voice, see it as he began to gently shake her. "You're not…?"

He fell to his knees. "No! No! Not you! The contagion can't have taken you! It doesn't make sense. I sealed it away. Everyone's better now!"

He looked down. "I was too late, wasn't I?" he murmured. "Even as I sealed it away, you were already gone. Why? Why didn't you tell me you were ill? If I'd known, I would have worked harder, faster. Perhaps I could have saved you…"

I moved in closer to Connor, who put his arms around me gently. I heard Phlegming sob once.

"Oh, Catarrhina!"


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was grey. It was just after noon, and all but one of the people of Coffinwell stood in the churchyard before the newest grave: Catarrhina's. A single soft sob came from the front.

"The people of Coffinwell have been delivered from great peril," said Father Nicholas, the city's priest. "But out relief is overshadowed by our sadness at the passing of our dear child, Catarrhina. Her loss weighs heavily upon us all. Nonetheless, we should be grateful to her for teaching us the true meaning of forbearance. Those of us left behind must try to emulate her stoicism in overcoming our sadness at her death. Now, let us pray that she will ascend untroubled to the heavens and rest in peace."

We bowed our heads. Laria's wife, a thin blond woman named Philippa, sobbed. "Oh, Catarrhina! Ohhhh…"

"Shh, dear," murmured Laria. "We must try to be strong." Then his tone grew hard. "What I'd like to know is where the devil Phlegming's got to. How he could have neglected to turn up is beyond me."

I sighed. Phlegming had barricaded himself in his laboratory after he discovered Catarrhina's death, and had refused to leave. I hoped to the heavens that he did not know that previous to her death, Catarrhina had been carrying his child. I could not imagine how terrible the knowledge would be.

I closed my eyes. _Help me, Almighty, _I prayed. _Catarrhina is dead, Phlegming has locked himself away from the world, and I do not know what I can do to help. I cannot leave things as they are! Show me, please, show me what to do!_

Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I stood by the graveyard for a time, until the people of Coffinwell had dispersed. "Pah!" said Stella then, fluttering over from where she had been hovering in the church's doorway. "I doubt there'll be any benevolessence to be had now the mood here's so flapping gloomy. So much for all the guts we busted trying to save the town. We haven't even had a word of thanks, let alone a reward."

"We?" I asked sharply, glaring. "'We' did nothing, if it is meant to include you. You did naught but sit here in town while Opal, Sydney, Dr Phlegming and I worked our hardest to save those who were here! You may not care two coins about the lives that have been saved by this, but I do, and if you cannot show any more respect for mortal life, I shall accompany you to the Starflight and show you exactly where you can stuff it!"

The last bit was a phrase I had learnt listening to the boys of Angel Falls when they were angry.

Connor, Sydney, Opal, and Stella stared at me in shock. "What happened to the famous Celestrian reserve?" asked Stella. My eyes narrowed. "It has been rather thin on the ground these days, I must say," I told her. Connor laughed once, a rather shocked one. "Didn't know you had that in you, Zera!"

I could not help grinning. "It felt rather good to say it, I must admit."

After this was a long, rather awkward pause. I shifted. "Erm, I shall go back to the inn," I said finally. "I have great need of a bath."

"There're more than one bathroom in the inn, right?" asked Sydney. I nodded. Connor shifted. "I think I'll go to the armour shop and see what all they've got."

"I want to explore the city a bit," said Opal, sounding a touch dejected. We parted ways, Stella remaining at the church, muttering.

I took my cuirass, skirt, fan, and shield from where I had left them on my bed. We had borrowed more formal clothing for the funeral, and while I though the black dress Sister Kari had lent me was rather nice-looking, it did not fit well. I was ready to wear my own clothing.

In the bathroom, I began pumping water into the tub, adjusting the heat as best I could. Though it was nearing summer, it was a chilly day. The energy of the pump caused it to keep moving as I took off my boots, dress, and undergarments- but there I stopped. There was a deep bloodstain on my undergarments, and fresh blood on top of the stain.

_What happened? Was I injured somehow? _I thought, panicked. But I was in no pain.

After a moment of confusion, I decided to consult Sydney. She was a priest and a healer- surely she would know what was going on. I pulled a towel off of the neatly folded pile and wrapped it around myself, then left the bathroom to find Sydney.

The first of the other bathroom doors I knocked on was the one Sydney had chosen. "Who is it?" she called. "It is me," I replied. "I must ask you something."

"Come on in," Sydney said. As I entered, she asked, "What's the matter?"

"There was…there is blood on my undergarments," I said. "But I am not in any pain. Is…do you know what it is?"

Sydney looked at me oddly. "You've never menstruated?" she asked me. My brows knitted together. "'Menstruated'?" I asked, voicing the unfamiliar word. "What does that mean?"

Sydney appeared rather confused. "You're…what was it, a hundred forty-five years old?" she asked. When I nodded, she said, "But you've never menstruated?"

"No," I told her. "I have never even heard the word before." Sydney shook her head. "Weird," she said. "Don't…didn't any of the adult Celestrians tell you about it, or about…you know, how babies get inside their mothers?"

I shook my head slowly. "Celestrians do not become pregnant as mortals do. Our children come from the stars, just as we return to them. Does…menstruating have to do with pregnancy?"

"Sort of," Sydney said. "But Celestrians don't have kids the same way? That… well, I wonder why it is you're menstruating." I folded my arms over my towel. "As do I," I said. It was silent for several moments.

"Erm, I suppose I shall go back to my own bath," I said. "I am sorry to have bothered you."

"No," Sydney said, shaking her head. "I…well, I learnt something interesting, at least."

Shaking my head, I returned to my bathroom, and the warm bath that awaited me there.

/\*/\

When we had each returned to the common room, I felt much refreshed. Sydney had given me an absorbent pad to put in my undergarments, which I had cleaned off. Connor had no new clothing, Opal still appeared dejected, and Sydney looked clean but saddened.

"Well, this has been a wonderful day," Connor muttered. I smiled wryly. "Aye," I replied. Sydney sighed and looked at Opal. "How was your walk?"

"Wet," Opal replied. "But I ran into Mayor Laria near Phlegming's laboratory."

"You did?" I asked. "Did he say anything?" Opal nodded. "He was muttering about Phlegming, and he told me to have all of us come by this evening to get the reward he promised us."

"Well!" exclaimed Stella, coming in the door. My teeth clenched. "I should think it's about time!" I glared at her, and she closed her mouth. I nodded tersely.

"So, what do we do until evening?" Connor asked after a moment. Opal shrugged. "I think I shall go to my room," I said, standing. "I did not get much sleep last night."

I walked down the hall to my bedroom and sat down heavily on the bed, my head falling into my hands. I could not help it. I had not known Catarrhina long, but she had struck me as a kind person, and I had warmed to her. And in addition, the combined gloom of the day and the townspeople were weighing upon me. I felt as though a great weight had settled upon my shoulders, and I did not think I had the strength to bear it.

I heard the door open, and I looked up to see Connor's lanky figure in the doorway. "Hi, Zera," he said. "Can I come in?"

"Certainly," I said. Connor closed the door behind him and sat down beside me, putting his arm over my shoulder. I leaned in to him, needing the support. "Thank you," I murmured. Connor said nothing, but when I laid my head on his shoulder, he put his own against mine.

We did not say anything for a long time. I felt tears come to my eyes as we sat. Unable to restrain them, I cried until Connor's shoulder must have been soaked, even through his shirt. I thought several times that I felt him sob, as well. At one point, he took my hand and gently rubbed the back with his thumb.

"I am glad you are here," I murmured some time later. "I'm glad I could help," Connor murmured in reply. I tried to look up at him, and he took his head off mine so I could. As I did, I noticed that the light outside the window was dimming. Soon it would be time to go to Laria's mansion.

"Thank you so much for coming," I said. "I do not think I could have borne the gloom here without you."

Connor smiled slightly. "I needed it just as much as you, trust me," he told me. I smiled. "Well, I am glad I was able to help you for a change," I said. Connor's brow knitted. "'For a change'?" he asked. I laughed lightly. "Do you realise how much you have helped me since I met you?" I asked. Connor shook his head.

"Let me tell you, then," I said, flipping my palm up so I could grasp his hand. "When you listened to me in Stornway. Whenever I am depressed, or bothered. You are always helping me."

Connor smiled. "I think you've helped me more," he said. "The contagion?"

I laughed. "I have already told you that it was all Phlegming." Connor rolled his eyes. "He wouldn't have gone if you hadn't gone to fight the monsters."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. "I don't believe either of us will win this," I said finally. Connor laughed. "Me neither," he agreed. He glanced briefly out the window. "We should probably go back out to the common room," he said. "It's getting to be evening."

I looked out, too, and nodded. "Let us go," I said, and we rose. Connor took his arm from around my shoulder, let go of my hand, and took it with his other, which was closer. And we returned to the common room.

Laria appeared surprised to see us when I knocked gently upon the doorway of his library. "Oh, it's you… What are you doing here at this hour?"

Then he appeared to remember. "Oh, of course, your reward for accompanying young Phlegming. It completely slipped my mind. I hope this hairband will suffice."

He took a pink headband with a feather attached to its inner rim and handed it to me. I looked at it blankly for a moment. After all our work, battling monsters on the road, physically engaging the cause of the contagion, a _feathered hairband _was all the reward we received?

"Thank you, sir," I heard myself say. "And my deepest consolations for Catarrhina. She was a good woman."

Laria nodded, cleverly concealing his face from us as we left. "What a flapping let-down!" exclaimed Stella then, and I could not help agreeing. "Is that it? That's all we get after bending over backwards, forwards, and sideways for these people? If only that Catarrhina hadn't gone and kicked a bucket, everyone would be happy and there'd be benevolessence aplenty. Gah… There's got to be some way of sorting out this mess…"

We stood for a moment in front of Laria's mansion, facing out over the town. As I looked out, feeling as protective of Coffinwell and its people as I had Angel Falls, I realised that there were figures in the churchyard.

They were not just any figures. Two glowed gently, appearing transparent: obviously ghosts. The third, I realised with a leaping of the heart, seemed very real, almost too real for this world. I could not identify features from such a distance, but I could make out a halo and wings. It was a Celestrian!

"You should go back to the inn," I said, looking to all four of my companions. "Where are you going?" Opal asked. "I think I shall visit Catarrhina's grave," I replied. "There is something I must do."

"I'll go with you," Connor said. I opened my mouth to protest, but decided against it. If one of those ghosts was who I believed it to be, I would like his support; and Connor would be able to see them, as well.

Opal and Sydney returned to the inn, trailed by Stella, as Connor and I headed for the churchyard. "Zera," Connor murmured, his eyes fixed upon the winged figure, "is that what I think it is?"

I nodded. "Come, please," I said. "Let us hurry!"

As we reached the graveyard, Catarrhina's ghost (for who else could it have been?) was saying, "-simply _can't_ go on, Sagitta!"

"Sagitta?" I asked incredulously as Connor and I joined the triangle formed by the two ghosts and the Celestrian. The young blond Celestrian looked to me, her brown eyes widening. "Zera?" she asked. "Is that you?"

"None other," I replied. Then my brows drew together. "Where is Delphinus?"

A worried look crossed Sagitta's face. "My master came to the Protectorate after the fyggs bloomed in search of them and of you. He has not yet returned, and nor have the others." The worry in her tone did not surprise me. Delphinus was her master, after all.

"'Others'?" I asked then. Sagitta nodded. "Ara, and Ophiuchus, and your own master, of course, as well as several others. None of them have yet returned." I bit my lip, but then shook my head and looked to Catarrhina. She was watching our exchange with wide eyes.

"Amazing!" she said. "I sensed you were different, Zera, but I never would have guessed you were one of them." Then she looked at Connor, who was staring at her, Sagitta, and the ghost of the old man in amazement. "You can see us, too?"

Connor nodded. "But only since your husband sealed away the contagion." I rather appreciated that he said nothing about the kiss that had resulted in his ability to see them.

"Well," Catarrhina said after a moment, "it's quite a stroke of luck! That means you'll probably be able to help me out. You see, I need to try and jolly Phlegmy up a bit. He's in a terrible way at the moment, and I don't see him getting better by himself. You can help, can't you?"

"Of course," I replied at the same moment that Connor said, "Sure!" A broad smile, so much like Opal's, spread across Catarrhina's transparent face, "Thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed. "I suppose the first thing is to get him to come out of his laboratory. I'm sure I'll be able to figure out a way of doing that, so we'll just head down there and take it from there."

As we turned to leave, I felt a chill on my arm and turned to find that the ghostly man- Robert, I suddenly recalled- had laid his hand there. "Catarrhina can't be one of those spirits who's bound to the earth forever," he said. "Help her to go on."

"I shall," I responded, slightly surprised by his seriousness. Sagitta shifted slightly. "I shall return to the Observatory," she said. "Apus Major will be most pleased to hear that you are safe, Zera."

I nodded. "Thank you, Sagitta," I said. Sagitta leapt up and flew upwards, leaving me staring up at the stars after her.

I only returned my focus to the Protectorate when Connor said, "Shall we go down to the lab, then?"

"Yes," I replied, tilting my head back to look at him. So we headed to Phlegming's laboratory.

Catarrhina did not seem to be there when we reached the door. I looked at Connor. "Shall we try the door?"

"Seems as good an idea as any," he replied, and I smiled slightly. I attempted to turn the knob; however, it would not turn. "You won't have any luck like that, you two," came Catarrhina's voice from behind us, and we turned.

Catarrhina stood there, hands clasped in front of her, smiling. "Phlegmy will only come out if you use our secret knock." She demonstrated the knock for us. "This, then this and this!"

I turned to the door and repeated the sequence. I heard a sharp intake of breath from inside, then: "…Catarrhina? Catarrhina, is that you?"

Connor and I backed away from the door as Phlegming burst out, looking about wildly. Then, he appeared to see us. "Was that…? Was that you knocking like that, Zera?"

His jaw clenched, as did his fists, when I nodded very slightly. "Of all the tasteless jokes, mimicking Catarrhina's special knock like that!" he shouted. "Don't you dare ever do that again!"

He turned to the door, and had I been taller or he shorter, he would have smacked me in the face with his ponytail. Before he returned to his laboratory, however, a voice from near Laria's mansion called, "Oi, Phlegmin'!"

Phlegming looked up, as did Connor, Catarrhina, and I. A thickset man in yellow leather armour stood near the mansion. "Glad I caught ya," he said. "I've got a message for ya, as it 'appens. Thanks for gettin' rid of that 'orrible disease. Everyone in Coffinwell says thanks, an' all. We owe ya big time! Oh, an' we're all 'opin' you'll be back to normal soon. Everyone's worried sick about ya."

The man turned and left, and I marvelled at his excellent timing. "What in the name of-?" asked Phlegming, but Catarrhina had begun speaking.

"Zera, I'd like you to pass on a final message to Phlegmy for me." I looked to Catarrhina's gentle face. "Can you tell him that I want him to meet with the people he saved by sealing away the contagion?"

I nodded. "Dr Phlegming," I said, looking back at him. He looked at me as I attempted to explain the message. "Catarrhina wants us to ask you to meet with the people who were sick," Connor said before I could think of the words. I smiled gratefully at him.

Phlegming's brows knitted together. "Catarrhina said that?" he asked. I nodded. "Her ghost did."

"Her…ghost?" Phlegming asked. "People can't see ghosts." Then his eyes widened. Seeing the realisation in his eyes, I nodded. "But Connor is not."

"A…a Celestrian?" Phlegming asked. I nodded. "…Impressive," he murmured, adjusting his spectacles. "I had wondered why you didn't fall ill when the Contagion attacked you in the ruins…"

He looked back to us. "Catarrhina said that? But I wouldn't know where to start. I don't even know who was ill. All I was worried about was trying to get the better of Father-in-law…" He paused. Then: "I'd like you to take me to see the people who were ill. I know the moment has somewhat passed, but I'd like to know who suffered from the disease and how they felt. Then perhaps I'll be able to understand what it was like for my Catarrhina."

"Please agree to what he asks," Catarrhina said. "I think this is just what he needs."

"Certainly," I said. I took Connor's hand, smiling, and pulled him forward slightly. Phlegming looked at both of us for a moment. "You were the 'personal stake', weren't you?" he asked then. "'Personal stake'?" Connor asked, looking at me. My cheeks went slightly warm. "I merely mentioned that I had a personal stake in the contagion being sealed away," I said rather quickly, stumbling slightly over the words. Then I looked back to Phlegming. "Dr Phlegming, this is my very, very good friend, Connor."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Connor said, extending his hand. Phlegming nodded and shook it. There was a moment of slightly awkward silence once they released one another's' hands. I looked to Catarrhina's transparent form. "Who else was ill?" I asked her. I truly did not know, excusing of course Catarrhina herself, Connor, and Sister Kari.

"Mr Harold," Catarrhina said immediately, "the old man who lived a bit south of Phlegmy and me; then there was Sister Kari, the nun; Ms Janice was, too, and her daughter Kelly. They live just east of the inn. And there was someone in the inn who was ill, too, aside from Connor; a woman. But I don't know her name."

"Thank you," I said, and looked back to Phlegming. He had one brow raised, and I smiled. "Follow us, Dr Phlegming," I said. "We shall show you who you saved."

As Mr Harold's house was nearest us, we went there first. An old woman sat at the table knitting, and she looked up as we entered. "Ah?" she asked. "We're sorry to bother you, ma'am," Connor said, "but Dr Phlegming here wanted to see your husband."

The woman nodded. "He's lying down in the room yonder," she told us, and returned to her knitting. We entered 'the room yonder' to find the old man lying on his bed.

"Ahem," he coughed, "ahem." He coughed a third time, then groaned, "Ugh, I feel like death…"

"This can't be right!" exclaimed Phlegming. "The contagion has been sealed away. How can he still be sick?"

Catarrhina, who I realised just at that moment had disappeared, materialised beside us. "It's alright, the old man just has a cold! Tell him, won't you, Zera?" I acquiesced and told Phlegming what Catarrhina had said.

"Ah…" Phlegming said, "yes, I see. Well, that's a relief."

Our next stop was Coffinwell's small, rather worse-for-the-wear church. Father Nicholas was nowhere to be seen, but Sister Kari stood at the small bookcase to the left of the altar.

"Sister Kari?" I called. She jumped, turned, and saw us. "Goodness!" she exclaimed. "What a relief it is to see you out and about again, Dr Phlegming! Erm, please accept my deepest sympathies about Catarrhina, won't you? I know you pain is much deeper, but the people of Coffinwell are grieving for her too. She was much-loved."

"Of course," Phlegming murmured. "Everyone loved dear Catarrhina."

I thought for a moment that I had seen a tear in his eye; however, it must have been the candlelight on his spectacles, for it disappeared a moment later.

We then moved on to Ms Janice's house. Ms Janice herself was sleeping soundly, but her husband, Mr Jason, was awake. "Dr Phlegming!" he exclaimed when he opened the door to us. As he let us in, he said, "I'm so grateful to you for saving my wife and daughter."

"Your wife…and your daughter?" Phlegming asked. "They were both ill?"

"Oh, yes," replied Mr Jason, "I had many a sleepless night, I can tell you. I honestly thought I might lose them both. I owe you everything, and that's a fact!"

Phlegming was silent for a moment. Then, rather hesitantly, he asked, "Might I see your daughter?" Mr Jason nodded and waved us up the stairs. I heard him humming as we walked up.

Kelly, a girl no older than six, was sleeping peacefully, holding onto a small, fuzzy bear. "A child this small was suffering from the disease?" Phlegming wondered aloud. "How can I not have realised who was affected?"

"Don't feel bad, Phlegmy," said Catarrhina, materialising at the head of the child's bed. Her hand was on top of her faintly rounded stomach, and I blinked back a tear. "If it wasn't for you, they'd all be gone."

I passed on Catarrhina's message, and then we made our way to the inn. Opal and Sydney were not in the common room- no doubt they had gone to sleep. The innkeeper directed us to the room where the ill woman had been staying, and we entered.

"Ooh!" exclaimed a blond woman inside, who was wearing a rather odd getup: a short green dress, rabbit ears on a headband, and a rabbit tail pinned to the rear of her dress. "You're Dr Phlegming, aren't you? The one who got rid of that nasty disease?"

"Er, yes," replied Phlegming, appearing as thrown by the woman's odd dress as I, "that's right. Were you suffering from it, too?"

Odd Rabbit Woman (as I had decided to christen her) did not directly answer the question. "Thanks ever so much" was what she said. "I was this far away from having to kiss my Snugglelump goodbye for good. Now I have all the time for kissing in the world thanks to you. Would you like a little smooch to say that you?"

She stepped forward, and I could see the discomfort in Phlegming's expression as he replied, "Er, n-no thank you! That really won't be necessary."

Catarrhina materialised, hands upon her hips and an irate expression upon her face. "Good grief! What does she think she's doing? Stay away from my Phlegmy with you funny outfit and your strange suggestions!"

When we escaped Odd Rabbit Woman's room, Phlegming turned to Connor and me. "I think I've seen enough now," he said. "Let's go back to my laboratory." I nodded, and the three of us returned to the room in the alley.

"I must thank you," Phlegming said when we were inside. "You've enabled me to see what it was Catarrhina wanted me to understand. Everything I've done has always been for myself, and I haven't given much thought to the people around me. That's why I didn't notice Catarrhina was ill. Unforgiveable, I know…" A look of pain briefly crossed his face, but then he cleared his throat and continued.

"Walking around town tonight, I realised for the first time how many people there are around me. From now on, I'm going to try to be more a part of the community."

He turned and looked down at his desk, which was even more of a mess than when I had first seen it. There was a half-full tankard of ale sitting amid the papers. "And I must admit that it was rather nice to be the object of so much gratitude."

I smiled, for I could not help agreeing. Phlegming sat down, shoved away the tankard, and began sorting through the papers and books.

"Thank you so much for helping Phlegmy come to his senses," came Catarrhina's voice from the door, and Connor and I turned to see that she had materialised. "You've allowed me to fulfil my dream, even though I'm no longer alive."

She looked to Phlegming, and I could see the love in her face. "You see, it's always been my dream for the people of Coffinwell to realise how wonderful Phlegmy is. And for him to grow to love the place. That's exactly what I've always wanted."

She began to glow, and looked at herself with some surprise. "Aah, it looks like I've run out of time," she said, beginning to rise up. "It's time to say goodbye. I wish you well…"

As her glow became unbearably bright, I thought I heard her say something else, but I could not distinguish it. Suddenly, her glow vanished, and the laboratory was left looking as it always had…yet something felt different.

It took me a moment to realise what it was. Catarrhina truly had been a loving woman, I knew now; so loving that her spirit had been unable to carry all of her love with her. She had left what she could not take with the love of her too-short life: her darling, her Phlegmy.

I grasped Connor's hand. He looked to me, smiling as I was, and for a moment I could not have moved had I wished to. Then, slowly (for it was very late by then), we returned to the inn to sleep.

* * *

><p>Okay, here I am, writerchic97, checking in for the first time!<p>

I would have shown my face (face? typing?) earlier, but...well, I didn't know how. Anyway, I really hope you like Chapter Five; I'm amazed I've been able to update so often, and I hope the writing isn't any the worse for being quick.

So, till next time, see ya- and may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	6. Chapter 6

"Good morning!" said the innkeeper the next day when the four- five, counting Stella- of us passed by her on our way leaving the inn. "…Or should I say good afternoon? And what a lovely afternoon it is! Everyone's spirits seem to have suddenly lifted again."

Outside, it was sunny and rather warm. I could not help smiling as the sun warmed my skin. "We did it, Zera!" exclaimed Stella. "We finally flapping did it! You probably can't see it, but there's benevolessence as far as the eyes can see! You must be due some sort of promotion for making so many people happy! You're a high flyer, and no mistake." She looked at me, raising my brows at her. "…Oh, no offence."

To my surprise, Stella paused. Then she said, "Hey! This means we can get the Starflight Express moving again! All aboard the groovy train! Come on! Let's hurry back there. Full steam ahead!"

Connor and I looked at one another. I swallowed, the realisation that I might never see him again washing over me- and it was not exactly a pleasant bath. I grasped his hand tightly, and he squeezed it in return. And after stopping at a shop for some food to eat on the road, we set off.

As we walked through the warm sunshine on our way to the Starflight, I searched frantically for a way I could keep from parting with Connor- and Opal and Sydney, but in the main Connor. Such was my distraction that I leapt nearly a foot into the air- a difficult feat without my wings! – when Opal cried out.

"What is wrong?" I asked, turning. Opal was lying on the ground, scrambling to hold her ankle. "I think I twisted my ankle," she moaned. "I stepped in a hole, and then I fell…" She moaned again.

"Hold still a moment," Sydney said, kneeling down. She put her hand over Opal's injured ankle, held her fingers rigid, and made a face of extreme concentration. Then, a soft green-blue light shone from her palm and bathed Opal's ankle. Opal sighed in relief and moved her foot in circles as Sydney leaned on her staff.

"Are you all right?" I asked her in concern. "Yeah," she replied. "I'm fine. That spell just took a bit more energy than regular Heal."

"What was it?" Connor asked. "Midheal," replied Sydney. "I read about it at the inn while you two were out and about with Phlegming last night."

She rose to her feet as I helped Opal up. Opal tested her weight on her foot, and beamed. "All better!" she announced. I could not help smiling. It was wonderful to have our cheerful Opal back. The dejected girl of the previous day was long gone.

I resumed my thinking as we continued walking. The gentle pressure of Connor's hand helped me to stay on track. I would not let this go.

Despite my absorbance in my thoughts, I was able to appreciate the beauty of the day. Birds sang, perching on the stalks of the tall grasses and flying overhead. Monsters rollicked in the fields, paying us little mind. The sun was bright, and it truly felt like summertime.

It was as we passed the eastern checkpoint of Stornway that an idea came to me. "What if you were to come with Stella and me upon the Starflight Express?" I asked, looking to my companions.

Sydney's eyes widened. "To the Observatory?" she asked, her voice scarcely louder than a whisper. "Yes," I replied. "Oh, my," Sydney breathed.

"That would be so cool!" Opal enthused. "Can you imagine? We'd probably be the first ever humans to ever see it! Oh, I bet it's so beautiful up that high!"

"Hold your cows!" Stella exclaimed. "I never signed on to bring your mortal amigos along on a tourist trip! I don't know if the Starflight'll run with so much mortal. There might not be enough Celestrian-ness to get it going!"

"Please, Stella," I said. She folded her arms and sighed dramatically. "Fine."

A grin to match even Opal's spread across my face. "Then let us go!" I cried, looking to Connor. He was smiling as much as me- I half-feared that his face would split in two!

And thus saying, we raced across the plain to the mountain pass and the train awaiting us there.

We slowed only when we reached the clearing, breathing heavily. My face rather hurt from the size and duration of my smile, but I did not care. Even if I had, I did not know if I could make it disappear!

But something happened then that did make it vanish.

A ghost of a young woman, shrouded in a dark cloak, materialised before us. She looked around with an air of quiet desperation, and then a look of such deep sadness came over her face that I nearly cried myself.

"Blimey, she looks like she could do with cheering up," Stella said. "Zera, she must be a ghost. Why don't you ask her what's wrong? She looks like she could use an ear to cry into."

The ghostly girl seemed to take no notice of any of us. "He's not here," she sighed, and the misery in her voice made me wish I were able to give her a hug. "What?" squawked Stella. The girl shook her head, still not seeming to see us. "He's not here either…"

She turned towards us and walked in our direction. Before she reached us, however, she faded away. I looked to Connor, wondering if he had seen her as well, and he was looking at me with the same amount of confusion I felt.

"Charming!" Stella said indignantly. "Talk about cold shoulders! Some people are so flapping rude!" She huffed, then turned to look at me. "Huh, never mind. We've got better things to be doing. All aboard the Starflight Express!" she cheered, and fluttered aboard.

"Come," I said to the others, turning to the Starflight. I put a foot upon the bottom stair, and looked back. Opal and Sydney were staring doubtfully at the train, and Connor in amazement.

"Come on, get a wiggle on!" called Stella from inside. "The old rustbucket isn't going anywhere without you to help it get its feet off the ground!"

I smiled. "Opal, Sydney, trust me," I said. "The Starflight is here. Connor, help me," I said, turning to face him. Connor smiled. "Come on, guys," he said. "Just put your feet up here next to mine." He placed his foot next to mine on the step, and we began encouraging them up the stairs.

The instant my foot touched the floor of the Starflight, the train gave a great jolt and rumbled to life. A smile spread across my face as Connor, Opal, and Sydney boarded the train.

"Woohoo!" cheered Stella. "Look at her! I'd say she's finally decided you're a Celestrian after all, wouldn't you, Zera? This is it! Now all I have to do is…er…fly us home…"

I looked at her. "No problem for the dab-handed driver of the Starflight Express, of course!"

My eyes narrowed. "You have never driven this before, have you!" I asked. Stella crossed her arms. "Of course I have!" she said, sounding slightly too insulted. There was a quiet, shocked noise from either Opal or Sydney, and I turned to looks at them as Stella talked to herself: "I'll just, er…programulate the…co-ordinators into that control panel over there and we'll be up, up and away before you can wink!"

Opal and Sydney were both staring around at everything. "Amazing!" Sydney murmured. Opal's violet eyes were the size of supper plates. It took most of my restraint to keep from laughing at the sight.

I moved up to join Stella at the controls. Connor, Opal, and Sydney followed me. Connor took my hand and continued looking about the train; Opal and Sydney began staring at Stella. Fortunately, she was focused on the controls, else they would have gotten quite an earful.

"Okay, er… obviously all I have to do is hop on the controls there, and it's next stop, the Observatory… Um, aye, aye, Captain! Full steam ahead! No time for second thoughts now! Here we go then…

"Iiiiit's TAKE-OFF TIME!"

All four of us jumped as Stella exclaimed thus, and then she slapped a large button upon the console. My stomach lurched slightly as we rose up, but I smiled as well.

Stella was still focused upon the console. "Let's see…" she muttered. "Just a little tap here and then…let's try that one there, and then…" She banged twice upon a button, and the Starflight angled herself upwards, rising slightly more.

"Haha!" Stella laughed triumphantly. "I did it! I did it!" Catching sight of our faces (my brows raised, Connor's eye-roll, the slightly worried looks of Sydney and Opal), she cleared her throat and added, "I mean, obviously. I did it. After all, I'm the cucumber-cool captain of the Starflight Express!"

She slapped me good-naturedly upon the chest, then made a face and shook her hand. "Blimey!" she muttered. I could not help laughing. Who else but Stella would have slapped me directly on the hardest portion of my cuirass?

"Right then! Observatory, here we come! Woohooooo!"

She hit one final button, and we began moving. Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I rushed to one of the windows as we looped slowly above the clearing, and then we shot straight up. A wide smile spread across my face. How exhilarating it was!

I looked over to Opal and Sydney, on my right, and was rather impressed to see that neither of them appeared nauseous. I looked to Connor then, and he had a smile upon his face to match my own.

We rushed on, up and up and up, for nearly ten minutes. It was then that I realised something was amiss. Dark clouds were swirling above us. Occasionally, a jagged fork of lightning would rip through one of them, lighting up the gloomy landscape.

"Lovely," I muttered. "No worries," Stella said. "There's a big hole right up the middle. Observatory, dead ahead!"

As she brought the Starflight to loop around the Observatory in preparation for landing, I saw it clearly for the first time in over a week. And it was not a pleasant sight to behold.

Great chunks of masonry had fallen from the sides. Pillars were toppled. And perhaps it was merely the gloomy light of the storm clouds, but the entire structure looked…ill. Some great misery had befallen the Observatory.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Sydney in a rather strangled murmur. "I do not know," I replied. "It was not like this when I last saw it."

I searched for Yggdrasil, praying that the great Tree was not harmed. To my relief, I found Her looking rather as healthy as ever. And then, with a leap of my heart I saw four figures standing at Her foot- and one was Apus Major!

"Stella, try to land near the Tree!" I said. Stella did not reply, to my immense surprise, but she did steer the train about to land beside the level below Yggdrasil.

Through the window, I saw Apus Major and the others racing to the train. When they stood before it, Apus Major turned to the others. Faintly, I heard him say, "Behold, the Starflight Express, here to carry us to salvation!"

"Remain here for a moment," I said to my companions, and I slid the door open. "Apus Major!" exclaimed one of the men. "Someone is emerging from within!"

"Hm?" asked Apus Major, turning. I stepped out of the doorway. "B-by the stars!" he exclaimed as I walked towards them. "Zera? Is it truly you? What are you doing aboard the…?"

His eyes widened as they moved over where my wings and halo had been when he had last seen me. "What is this?" he asked, horrified. "Your wings… your halo…what horrors have you suffered, child?"

"My wings and halo were lost to me when I fell from the Observatory," I explained. "And later, the Starflight carried me back here."

Apus Major's bushy white brows drew together. "But what of the other Celestrians who are gone the realm beneath?" he asked. "Why are you alone returned to us?" He paused. "Forgive me, child. Your homecoming is more than sufficient reason to give thanks to the Almighty on high. Come now. Tell us of the events unfolding in the Protectorate."

He motioned to me to follow. "Wait," I said. I turned back to the Starflight and called, "Connor? Opal? Sydney? Come out, please. I shall need your help telling our tale!"

They came out slowly, cautiously, staring about in amazement. I heard gasps of shock from the Celestrians behind me and I turned, smiling. "Apus Major, these mortals have been my companions in the time I have spent in the Protectorate. They have been with me through several great adventures and sadnesses. Please allow me to introduce Connor, Opal, and Sydney."

Still seeming rather surprised, Apus Major nodded in greeting. I looked to my companions to see that Sydney looked to be upon the point of fainting. I moved to help Opal in keeping her standing. "What is wrong?" I murmured. "Nothing," Sydney whispered. "I don't think anything could be wrong right now!" I smiled. Of course. Sydney would be in raptures at this moment; it was no great surprise, then, that she looked as she did.

"Let us go to the Great Hall," said Apus Major, seeming to be recovering from the surprise of seeing three mortals appear from within the Starflight.

As we descended, the quartet of Opal, Sydney, Connor, and I stared about at all. The more I saw of the Observatory, however, the less I wished to. It was ruined; what had once been green was brown and dead, and the missing masonry was far more prominent from our position. However, there was something else bothering me, and it was not until we had nearly reached the Great Hall that I realised what it was.

The Observatory did not feel like home.

After…what had it been now, eleven days? Nay, twelve…after twelve days away from the Observatory, not knowing its fate or that of those inside, I ought to have been filled with relief at the mere idea of returning. But I had felt no relief, no sense of homecoming. As I gazed upon the ruin and heard the reserved greetings of my people, I wished fiercely for the warmth and emotion of the mortals and the Protectorate- even those emotions that were not so favourable. The Protectorate, the place I had lived for little less than two weeks, had become my home in a way the Observatory had never been. It still saddened me to see it ruined as it was, but it was not so terrible a sadness as it would have been had it been Angel Falls, Stornway, Coffinwell, or even Zere in ruins.

Once we stood before Apus Major in the Great Hall, I began my narrative. Several times- after, of course, I reached Stornway- Opal, Sydney, or Connor had to fill in where my memory failed on a certain point.

When we finished, Apus Major gave a long sigh. "Hmm… So the Protectorate too was ravaged by the same beams of light that pierced the Observatory that ill-fated day. I remember it vividly, as I am sure, do you, Zera. The day Yggdrasil bore fruit at long last… That iniquitous light from the world below carved its way through our hallowed realm and the Starflight Express… And the fyggs…Yggdrasil's sacred fyggs… They tumbled from our grasp… As did you, of course, Zera. Many of our number later descended to the Protectorate to search for those who had fallen and seek out the source of the attack. But alas…as yet, you are the only one to return. We remain anxious for those still missing, but…"

He sighed. "It is a blessing that you at least are safe. You must give thanks to Yggdrasil for your safe return. Go to Her and offer up a prayer of gratitude for your deliverance. She may even restore you to your true Celestrian form. There is no time like the present, Guardian Zera. Go now, and may the blessings of the Almighty go with you."

"Apus-" I began, but I was interrupted by Stella. "Right then," she said. "That's me done. I brought Zera back to the Observatory safe and sound, as promised." She looked to me. "Well, you know what they say…time and tide wait for Norman. And I'm not Norman, so I'd best be off! Good luck and all that. It was nice knowing you, Zera…and company. Short but sweet! See you, then!"

She turned and flew off, leaving me rather nonplussed behind her. After a moment, I turned back to Apus Major. "Would you know where Columba is?" I asked, naming the one female Celestrian I felt comfortable speaking with. "I have something I must ask her."

"Certainly," Apus Major replied. "You shall no doubt find her at the monument to Corvus on the floor below. She has been praying there ceaselessly since you disappeared and Aquila descended to search for you."

I bowed. "Thank you, sir," I said. Turning away, I said to my companions, "Go to the great Tree atop the Observatory. I shall join you soon."

As we went our separate ways, I could not help making a face. I had nearly forgotten how very long-winded my people were! Aquila had not been quite as bad about it as the others, but centuries of living among them made their habits rub off. I only hoped that I would not become so prone to long speech!

When I reached it, I gently pushed open the door to the room containing the monument to Corvus- the monument Aquila had described only as a grave. Columba- a Celestrian woman with long, bright violet hair who was only slightly older than Aquila- stood before it. Her head was bowed.

"Mighty Corvus…" she prayed. "Shine you light on Aquila and Zera, that they may be returned safely onto us."

"Columba?" I asked softly. She turned, visibly surprised. "Oh- Zera!" she exclaimed. "Praise the stars! You are safe! And what of Aquila? Has he returned with you?"

I shook my head. Columba's face fell. "…Oh, I see. I was sure you would be together… You know, then, that he descended to the Protectorate in search of you." She sighed and looked to the grave. "This is why you find me here. I have been praying ceaselessly at this monument for both of you to return to us unharmed. It is a monument to Corvus. Erected so that no Celestrian would ever forget him. Come, allow me to read the inscription to you…"

She gestured to me, and I moved closer. "'In memory of Corvus,'" she read, "'whose noble heart and compassion for mortals shall never be forgotten. Let this monument be a reminder of our promise to guard the Protectorate until our return to the Realm of the Almighty.'"

She looked to me then. "Many moons ago- many hundreds of years into the past- Corvus was Aquila's master. He descended to the Protectorate to become Guardian of a village and…he disappeared. We know not what became of him, and were powerless to do anything but pray for his return. That is why Aquila was so concerned. He feared he would lose you as he list his master. No doubt he is even now scouring the Protectorate in search of you."

She sighed. "Corvus was you master at one time as well, was he not?" I asked. Columba nodded. "He was for a time, before I decided that my true place was within the Observatory, rather than without. It was then that he took on Aquila."

I nodded. "I had something I wished to ask you," I said then. She looked at me curiously. "Whatever you wish, Zera."

I said nothing for a moment as I attempted to put the words together. Then: "Do Celestrian women…menstruate?"

Columba fixed me with an odd look. "No, we do not," she said. "You know from whence our younglings come. Whatever put that idea into your head?"

I smiled wryly. "The fact that I have begun menstruating."

There was a moment of silence from Columba as she processed my words. Then, hesitantly, she asked, "You…you began menstruating? Are you quite certain of this, Zera?"

I nodded. Columba's brows drew together. "I have never heard of such a thing before," she admitted. "And I have heard many rather odd things, as so much of my time is spent in the library."

I spread my arms apart and shrugged. "I, too, am at a loss," I told her. "But Sydney- a priest and healer who travelled with me in the Protectorate- she said that it was menstruation. I had hoped that you would be able to explain to me how it should be that I was menstruating."

"I am afraid I cannot," Columba said. I grimaced. "Well, I am glad I tried," I said. "Goodbye, Columba."

"Goodbye, child," replied Columba, still appearing rather bewildered. As I left, I heard her begin to pray once more: "Mighty Corvus, noble master of Aquila, please protect your apprentice in his hour of need. See that he returns unharmed to the Observatory."

I sighed and began to make my way to Yggdrasil. I had prayers of my own to offer.

Connor looked at me as I joined them by Yggdrasil. I shook my head. "Do not ask," I said. "I am not sure_ I _understand what I am thinking about."

"Okay," Connor replied, laughing a little. I could not help smiling.

"So, what now?" asked Opal. "I am going to pray," I said. "I am not entirely sure what for yet…but I am going to pray. I suppose the three of you can do whatever you wish."

"We'll stay here," Sydney said. "We'll wait for you to finish praying, and then I guess we'll go from there."

I smiled. "Thank you." I moved forward and kneeled before Yggdrasil. Before I closed my eyes, I saw the others moving: Sydney to kneel some distance away, Opal to look up at the tree, and Connor to sit next to me. I laughed lightly as my eyes closed and I bowed my head.

_Show me what to do,_ I prayed, my familiar refrain. _Things cannot remain as they are. My master is missing, the fyggs are missing, the people of the Protectorate are in danger from the aftereffects of the earthquake. I do not…do not know…_

_Darkness. A man's powerful voice boomed, "Yea, the mortals are not fit to inhabit my kingdom."_

_My vision lightened just in time for dark clouds to swirl across the blue sky that appeared. "The sins of greed, of falsehood, of dishonour, are like unto a plague among them. From dust they came…and to dust I shall return them."_

_A deadly-looking beam of red light burst from the centre of the clouds and streaked towards the world below. My eyes widened in horror as it approached a blue sea, surrounded by populated lands. I tried to scream denial, but I could not speak._

_But just above the sea, a bright blue light intercepted the red, and they both dissipated. "I beg of you!" cried the voice of a young woman. "Stay your hand!"_

_"Wherefore do you defy me?" boomed the powerful voice, and I trembled. _

_A gleaming blue light appeared above the waters. The girl's voice spoke again: "Father, I-I have faith in the mortals. You cannot- you must not- lay waste to their realm…I beg of thee…"_

_My vision suddenly whirled back to the swirling clouds. "SILENCE!" cried the powerful voice. "…You shall not sway me…the mortals will be eradicated!"_

_All became white, and the girl spoke once more. I admired her strength in defying someone of such power. "Father, I-I have faith in the mortals…I assume this form that the mortals and their realm might be shielded from your wrath. I will- I must protect them…"_

My eyes snapped open with a gasp. I looked about. Opal, Sydney, and Connor were all looking at me in concern. "Zera, area you okay?" Connor asked. "I…I am not sure," I said, rising unsteadily. Connor helped me to my feet.

"You've been kneeling there for fifteen minutes," Sydney informed me. "And you were grimacing, and muttering something about 'don't hurt them…don't hurt them," Opal added. My brows drew together. It seemed that my physical self had been able to do more than my dream-self- though in far more time than it had seemed to me.

Then, I heard a soft, halting voice. I could not tell where it came from- nor even, if it spoke aloud. The words seemed to come directly to my mind.

_"Zera, Celestrian and Guardian…"_ it said, and I was not the only one to look about for the source. It seemed that my companions could hear it, as well. _"We rejoice at your return to the Observatory…That you were able to return without wings or halo, this is surely a sign that fate has chosen you… Zera…I shall open the way before you…"_

Suddenly, the Observatory vanished. Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I stood on what appeared to be thin air over the smaller isle in the centre of the Protectorate. A tree with shining blue leaves stood out from the rest of the land.

_"…This tree shall guide you to the next destination fate would have you visit…"_ As the voice spoke, the vision faded, and the four of us stood once more upon the Observatory. I moved closer to Connor, and he put his arm about my waist. _"And, precious Zera…"_ continued the voice, _"I bestow upon you this spell, that you and your companions may travel in an instant to any domain that you have heretofore visited…"_

A golden glow settled around me, very tightly, as it did not envelop Connor. A shadow image of my hand making a spiral appeared before my eyes, and I quickly memorised the movement. It would no doubt be important.

I looked up at the Tree then, seeing it glow faintly. _"Zera, Celestrian and Guardian…return once more to the mortal realm… Journey aboard the Starflight Express to the lands below and gather the fyggs that lie scattered there… do this, Zera, for all mortalkind. For their salvation…"_

The voice faded away. Connor, Opal, Sydney and I looked at one another. "I assume you heard that as well, then," I said. Connor snorted. "Yeah, I heard it," Opal said. Sydney swallowed. "Who…whose voice was that, do you think?" she asked in a rather small voice.

"I do not know," I murmured. Slowly, we turned away to return to the Starflight, but Apus Major was making his way up the stairs. A look of sadness crossed his face as he looked me over. "Despite your prayers, Yggdrasil has not restored your Celestrian powers? I…my sympathies, Zera. It would seem that you must endure this divested state for some time yet."

I opened my mouth to inform him that it was not, to me, a divested state, but I could not quite form the words. Cursing the law forbidding opposition to a superior, I covered my slip by telling Apus Major of the dream I had dreamed while praying.

"Hmm…" he mused. "A mysterious dream indeed…One who would destroy the world…and one who would save it… I fear that, unbeknownst to us, a terrible conflict may be brewing. It is tragic to have lost your wings and halo, Zera. But perhaps there is meaning in your misfortune. After all, you are now able to ride the Starflight Express. I believe that your dream may have been a message from the Grand Architect Himself. If the voice of the Almighty instructed you to gather fyggs, then gather fyggs you must! Fyggs harbour the power of Yggdrasil. They may indeed hols the key to the salvation of the Protectorate and the Observatory alike. Time, Zera, is of the essence. You must leave at once. Bring the fyggs safely back to us. Our destinies are in your hands!"

I nodded. "We shall make all haste, sir," I said, and the four of us descended to where the Starflight thankfully still stood. _If time is of the essence, then why must you continue speaking? _I wondered as we approached the train.

I slid open the door to see Stella fluttering back and forth, muttering to herself. "Where the flap has old fatguts got to? I was sure I'd find him if we managed to get back here. He must've fallen down to the Protectorate when those light beams struck. Am I gonna have to go and hunt the old codger down? Can I really be bothered to go and look for him…? I don't suppose I've got much choice if I want my wages."

"Hello, Stella," I said pleasantly. She jumped and turned around. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Hi, Zera. Didn't expect to see you here. No time for pleasantry, I'm afraid. I've got an annoying errand to run. Hot to go and look for someone, as it happens."

"Well, we've gotta go to look for some_thing_s," Opal told her. I had to smile. I was rather glad Opal and Sydney could see Stella. I had no doubt that Opal and Stella would get along- or at least, they would occupy one another speaking at high speed.

"Then we can go together!" Stella cheered, pumping her fist. "What a turn-out for the books! Come on, then. Let's get this show on the railroad back to the mortal realm!"

She turned to the console then and began muttering to herself as she pressed buttons. "Hmm…but the old girl's still not running at full steam ahead… Is she going to make it down there in one piece, I wonder…" She peered out one of the front windows. "Oh, hang on," she said then. "What's that blue tree thing? If I just plop her down on top of that, we should have a softish landing…softish…"

Catching sight of our expressions- ranging from doubt to terror- she defensively said, "Well, I don't have any better ideas, so unless your brain's waving at you with something amazing, it's my plan or nothing."

Unfortunately, none of us were able to volunteer any more ideas. _I do not believe this is what the voice had in mind! _I thought as Stella returned her focus to the console. "Look out mortals, here we come!"

She slammed her hand down upon a button. Slowly, the Starflight rumbled to life, moving forward at the pace of a snail. We began to pick up speed then, and the Starflight looped once about the Observatory and dove. An exhilarated smile spread across my face as I felt my weight beginning to depart from me and my feet left the floor.

"Oh, yeah, looking good!" yelled Stella. "Woohoo!" I exclaimed, borrowing a word from the faerie's lexicon. I heard Connor's laugh and manoeuvred myself about to look at him. He, too, was floating, and he looked as thrilled as I. To his right, Opal was quite literally bouncing off the walls; Sydney was desperately attempting to grab hold of said wall.

"Relax!" I said to her. "It will be over soon; enjoy it while it lasts!"

Sydney merely shook her head, appearing nauseous. "This must be it!" called Stella, and I looked out one of the windows to see that we were diving towards the blue tree. To the east was a grand building, situated rather high atop a large flight of stairs.

Our weight returned to us as Stella brought the Starflight level in a loop around the building. We landed surprisingly gently atop the tree, and the Starflight ceased rumbling.

"Ladies and gentle…man, we've reached our destination," Stella announced. "All change, please."

With that, she turned to me. "So, it looks like we can only land in places with those blue trees in for the moment. You'll have to flat-foot it from here. I've got an inkling feeling that the building we saw must be Alltrades Abbey. You can change vocations and stuff there. It's always chock-to-the-block with people, and where there's people, there's bound to be something going on."

She grinned. "Right, I'm on a manhunt and you're on a… well, a fruit hunt, I suppose. Let's pray that we both find out prey! Ha!"

I slid open the door, and Stella fluttered out. It was slightly more difficult for the rest of us, being wingless, but eventually we made our way low enough to simply drop to the ground.

It was quite warm there; the sun was out, though it seemed quite later than when we had left the Protectorate earlier- perhaps three forty-five in the afternoon, though we had left at only one fifteen or so. It was odd; I was certain we had not been gone for over an hour and a half.

I would have liked to have sketched some of the monsters roaming about us, but with the Abbey so close I decided not to. By the time I retrieved my materials from my bag, it would be time for us to ascend the stairs! So I contented myself holding Connor's hand and looking about the land.

There truly were a great many stairs leading up to the Abbey. I intended to count, but I soon lost track. On either side of us, waterfalls poured into pools that led straight to the waters surrounding the isle. It was all clean, clear, and- to judge by the gentle spray- cool. It seemed quite a cheerful place.

It was very nearly as bright inside as it was out. The windows were wide, and there was no wall in the back- only pillars, a large Guardian statue, and a rectangular pool. Stella bade us goodbye to begin her search for 'old fatguts', as she had called him.

Ahead of us, a trio of men- one a burly sailor type, one a thin farmer, and the third an older man- stood facing a black-haired and –bearded man in red robes. They appeared to be having an argument. My curiosity piqued, I moved closer; Connor, Opal, and Sydney came with me.

The man in the centre- the burly one- was saying, "Look, what's goin' on, eh? Some of us 'ave come 'alf way 'round the world for this change of vocation, you know!"

The farmer, on the left, added, "Ar, I's spended what few coins I 'ad to pay for this 'ere trip 'ere. An' now yer sayin' we can't change trades after an' all?"

The old man on the right seemed rather indignant. "It was tough for an old stick like me to get here, you know. And I did it to fulfil my lifelong dream of becoming a maid. So I'm not budging from this spot until I've got my little frilly dress and a feather duster in my hand!"

I heard a snort of laughter from Opal. I myself was struggling to restrain laughter at the old man's words, and I admired the red-robed man's composure as he said, "I can only apologise to you all. Abbot Jack is absent at present. If you could all just wait a little-"

The burly man interrupted his words. "'Ow long 'ave you been fobbin' us off with that, eh? We'll still be standin' 'ere next year if we believe your rubbish!"

"I really am most dreadfully sorry," said the robed man. "I implore you to be patient just a little while longer."

Without giving the other men a chance to say even a word, he turned and walked away down the short, wide hall to the open area in back. Muttering, the three men dispersed through the Abbey. The four of us looked at one another. "Abbot Jack…of Alltrades Abbey?" Connor asked, looking as though he were fighting back laughter. "Yes," I replied. "What of it?"

Sydney appeared to understand the humour. "Have you ever heard of a 'jack of all trades'?" she asked me, smiling. I shook my head. "Well, it's part of a phrase: 'Jack of all trades, master of none'," Sydney told me, "and it basically means you know how to do a load of things, but you're not really good at any of them."

"Ah," I said, beginning to smile. "In that case, I see the humour."

At that, the laughter Connor had been restraining broke loose. He bent over nearly double, holding on to his stomach. "It is not that funny," I said, beginning to laugh myself at the sight. "I know," Connor gasped, "but the way you took it…" He stopped talking there, breaking again into laughter. I stood, shaking my head but laughing with him. I could hear Opal and Sydney's laughter, as well, and briefly thought how ridiculous we must have looked.

After a minute, our laughter subsided. We straightened up, looking at one another…and burst out once more in laughter. I could not help it!

It took five repetitions of this for us to finally pull ourselves fully. Only then did I say, "Shall we ask the robed man if he has any knowledge of the fyggs?"

"Sure!" Opal said, and she bounded forward. Shaking my head in amusement, I followed with Connor and Sydney.

"Welcome to Alltrades Abbey," said the man when we reached him. He looked at us with some amusement, and I knew that he must have seen our outbursts. "Have you come to change your vocations?"

I shook my head. "We wanted to ask you if you've seen a fygg!" Opal enthused. The man's black brows drew together. "I don't believe I've ever heard of such a thing," he said. "What is it?"

"It is a beautiful, shining golden fruit," I informed him. I rather hoped he had seen it; if not, he might think we were playing a joke upon him.

"Well, as it happens, Abbot Jack was given a fruit that might match that description by someone who came for a change of vocation. I think the person in question is still here in the Abbey somewhere. Ask around, and perhaps you'll find something out."

"Thanks, sir," Connor said. We left then. "Shall we search downstairs?" I asked, indicating the flight of stairs leading down. "There are none up here but priests, nuns, and the man who wishes to become a maid." I snickered.

"Good idea," Sydney said, and we began down the stairs. "Let's try right," Opal said before we had even reached the base. So, where the hall went two directions, we turned to the right.

After turning once more to the right, we reached a small pub with several people. A man sat at one of the tables with what appeared to be all the contents of a small shop. "Let's ask him about the fyggs!" exclaimed Opal. Sydney laughed. "Leave it to Opal to find the store!"

But we went there anyway.

As we looked through the wares, I asked the man tending the table if he had happened to see a golden fruit. "I'm afraid not," he said. "I don't deal in foodstuffs."

I purchased nothing save an iron shield for myself, seeing nothing else to tickle my fancy; Connor purchased not a thing. However, Opal purchased a long-sleeved white shirt, a pink skirt, and an iron shield to fit her size. Sydney purchased what she dubbed a robe of serenity- a loose, long-sleeved red robe with unusual designs on it- a pink skirt of her own, and her own iron shield. Satisfied, we moved on.

When we asked her, a barmaid in a blue dress told us, "Well, yes! The Abbot had one of them with him when he came in to lunch the other day. He's very partial to his fruit, you know. He likes to have fruit for dessert, so I peeled it and gave it to him after he's finished his main meal. He told me that he'd been given it by a man who wanted to change his vocation and become a martial artist."

As we walked away, Connor snorted. "'Change his vocation and become a martial artist,'" he said, a bit scathingly. "You can't just _become _a martial artist. It takes loads of training and discipline…"

I smiled. "So you would object to me becoming one if the Abbot returns?" I asked teasingly. Connor grinned. "I don't know. You've got to have a lot of discipline if you can be reserved like your people up in the Observatory…"

I swatted him playfully on the back of the head. "Take that back, sir!" I said, mockingly insulted. But my act was spoiled when I began laughing. "Believe you me, Connor, the Celestrian reserve is disappearing rapidly!"

"I think we all realised that in Coffinwell when you offered to show Stella where she could stuff the Starflight," Opal said. Sydney and Connor laughed, and although I tried not to- they were teasing me, after all! – I did not succeed. As I had said, my reserve was leaving me, and I had no desire to attempt to call it back.

We continued straight at the base of the stairs, to the left passage. A man paced back and forth along the hall. As he turned back along his path, he spotted us. "You need something from me?" he asked. I nodded. "Would you have happened to have seen a shining golden fruit?"

"Yes, I have, as it happens," he replied. "I gave a fruit like that to the Abbot. I picked it up on my way over here. I'd heard that the Abbot was crazy about fruit, so I thought it might help things along. I don't know what he did with at after I gave it to him. I saw him talking to the barmaid in the pub, but that's it."

"Thanks, sir," Opal said. I saw Connor open his mouth to say something to the man- most likely more of the same from earlier- but I touched him gently on the arm, and he subsided. I took his hand as we ascended the stairs.

Stella hovered at the top. "Well, it doesn't look like old fatguts is here either. Where the flap has he gotten to?"

Then she looked to us, not seeming surprised. She must have heard us coming upstairs. "Ooh, but hang on… I've got a sneaky suspicion one of those fruits you're after was here till not long ago… And something tells me this Abbot Jack character might have gone and made a meal of it. I reckon you should find that important-looking man you were talking to earlier and ask him if he knows anything. And then get after that Abbot!"

"I believe we intended to do just that," I informed her. The five of us returned to the place where the red-robed man stood to speak to him. "Ah, it's you," he said. I smiled. "Yes, us. Sir, we discovered something about what may have happened to the Abbot."

I told him the basis of what we knew: that the Abbot had eaten the fygg and then left the Abbey.

"I see…" said the man. I hesitated, then said, "Sir, it harbours mysterious powers. It may have affected the Abbot in some way- perhaps given him some uncommon powers."

The man said naught for a moment. Then, he appeared to get an idea. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "The Tower of Trades! Legend tells that it is where the vocation-changing rite was carried out in days of yore, but now it is overrun with monsters. Under normal circumstances, the Abbot would never have considered venturing into such a dangerous place, but…well, if you say this fruit may have afforded him magical powers, perhaps his curiosity finally got the better of him."

He hesitated. "Oh, dear! I, I don't like to ask, but there is no one else…. Could you possibly go to the tower and bring the Abbot back? We men of the cloth are neither equipped nor inclined to battle monsters. Please, I implore you to help!"

"Of course we shall," I said. I heard a slight sound from Sydney, but when I turned, she did not appear to have done anything.

"Oh, thank you!" cried the man, and I turned back to him. "Before you go, let me teach you the secret way to enter the tower. You must stand at the entrance and take a bow. Just one will suffice. The Tower of Trades is to the east of Alltrades. May the Almighty watch over you and guide you to the Abbot!"

We thanked him and turned away. As soon as we were out of earshot, Sydney snorted. "Well, since 'men of the cloth are neither equipped nor inclined to battle monsters', it's a good thing this sixteen-year-old girl of the cloth is!" she said. All four of us began laughing. Stella stared. "What the flap is with you people?" she asked. The tone of her voice served only to make us laugh harder.

When we finally sobered up, I said, "What do you say we take the rest of this day to relax? We have not had a chance to sit about and enjoy ourselves since before we battled the Right Knight at Loch Storn."

"Sounds good," Opal said. "Let's go down to the pub and get something to drink that we can bring outside," suggested Sydney. "Good idea," Connor agreed, and we headed downstairs.

Several minutes later, we sat near the base of the stairs leading up to the Abbey, each of us in possession of a large glass bottle of water and a second of lemonade. I had out my notebook, ink, and pen, and I was busy sketching a slime knight that was watching us from a distance. Connor sat very close to me, playing with a lock of my hair; Opal was lying on her back watching the clouds; Sydney sat with her eyes closed, allowing the sunshine to play across her face. It was quite peaceful.

I suppose I should have expected that it would be that moment when the slime knight grew bored posing for me and charged us.

We were all up in an instant- even Sydney, who was nearly stepped on by Opal. We raced forward, intending to keep the battle away from our drinks and my notebook. The slime knight drew its sword as we raced towards each other.

"Yahh!" Connor cried fiercely, and the slime knight stopped dead in its tracks, seeming terrified. Connor grinned and swung a fist at the slime's side. It reeled about, and while it was still shocked from the blow, I sliced the knight. My fan did not quite go through its armour, but it created a deep fissure that was much shinier than the rest of the armour.

Sydney cracked it over the head with her staff, but before Opal could cast a spell, it bounded forward and sliced Connor's arm. Opal cast Frizz almost the instant the slime knight moved a safe distance from Connor, and a fair-sized spot of its armour seemed to melt slightly.

We regrouped for a moment, then Connor stooped down, grabbed a handful of rocks, and hurled them at the slime knight, denting its armour. I bounded forth and sliced the slime across its front. It burst into purple dust, and before the knight could run, Sydney whacked it once more and it, too, exploded into dust.

We stood for a moment, breathing heavily and grinning. "Here," I said to Connor, "hold out your arm." I cast Heal and watched the cut heal itself. "Thanks," he said. "What do you say we go back to the spot?"

As we sat down, I took a look at my unfinished sketch. "Ah, well," I said. "I ought to be able to finish it."

Taking a large gulp of water, I began finishing my sketch.

And we passed the rest of the day in peace.

* * *

><p>Hi again, all! Writerchic97 checking in again. I didn't quite intend to make this chapter so long- it was fifteen pages on my Word program- but oh, well. I really hope you all like it. If there's anything you want me to try to include, just review; I'll try to fit it in, if I can. I can't necessarily make any promises, but I'll see what I can do!<p>

May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	7. Chapter 7

It was nearly eight fifteen when all of us gathered in the pub for breakfast the next morning. Opal was yawning ostentatiously when I reached the table with two trays of food, but she seemed awake enough to nearly leap over the table to reach them. I laughed. "Are you hungry, then?" I asked. "Yup," replied Opal. She took one of the plates and dug in. Amused, the rest of us took our own plates and began eating. As Opal shovelled down her food, I wondered if she was having a spurt of growth- it seemed the only explanation as to how hungry she was.

When we stood to return the now-empty trays and plates, I measured Opal with my eyes. She did seem slightly taller, though it may have been my imagination. I did not know how quickly mortals grew, but thirteen days did not quite seem like enough time for a visible difference in height.

I shook my head and put it out of my mind. We had a fygghunt to pursue!

A quarter of an hour after leaving the Abbey, the five of us came to the base of the Tower of Trades. It was rather quiet; no birds sang in the nearby trees, and the monsters of Newid Isle (as Sydney had told me the isle was named) seemed to be avoiding the place.

We approached the door cautiously, examining the tower. It was quite tall- six or seven stories- and rather creepy, though that may simply have been the effect of the near-total silence. The only sounds were those of our breaths and the nearby sea.

"Sh…shall I bow?" I asked quietly. Sydney swallowed visibly. Connor nodded. I swallowed, and turned to the door. I bowed quickly, not taking my eyes off of it. I was a touch frightened of what might be there when the door opened.

The door creaked open as I rose from my bow. The sound made me scramble back several paces, nearly running over Opal in my haste to avoid whatever might be on the other side.

I apologised as we moved closer to one another. It was rather dark inside the tower, and I could hear scufflings- no doubt from the monsters that had overrun it.

I reached for Connor's hand and found it halfway. We smiled sheepishly at one another, and looked back to the doorway.

"I guess we've got to go in there," whispered Sydney. Opal nodded wordlessly. We drew our weapons as we approached. I suppose it would have looked amusing to a watcher: just in front of the doorway, we stopped almost in synchronisation, looked at one another at the same time, and began moving again simultaneously.

It took several seconds of blinking for my eyes to adjust to the darkness within the tower. When they did, I realised that the interior was not as frightening as I had anticipated. It seemed slightly derelict, aye, and abandoned, but that was to be expected.

There was a wall before us, and a short hall to each side. "Left or right?" Sydney asked.

I suggested left, and so we headed that direction. At the end of the hall, we turned right, and in the corner, we found a staircase to the next floor.

And so we continued.

We climbed six more flights of stairs, and reached the top of the tower. It appeared empty. "Where do you think he is?" asked Opal. I looked straight ahead. "Perhaps that way," I suggested, pointing.

Leading off the side of the tower was a pathway of light, leading up to an open doorway that seemed to sit upon naught but air. "Maybe," agreed Connor, and I smiled at his sarcastic tone.

There was a stone before us. Half curious to read it, and half eager to procrastinate walking out onto the light pathway, I knelt to read it. _Do not go lightly into a new vocation, you who would start anew. Once chosen, your new calling will shape the rest of your days. _

"Come on, slowpoke!" teased Opal. "Fine," I said, rising. "But I do not wish to be first going out upon that path."

"Is it even solid enough to walk on?" wondered Connor aloud. "I can solve that mystery," Sydney announced. She moved forward and banged the base of her staff against the path. It made no sound, but it did not pass through the light. "Seems solid," she said.

We moved to the path. Cautiously, I put my foot upon it and tested my weight. The path did not give. "It appears to be safe." I put my other foot on the path. "Well?" I asked, not turning. "Are you coming?"

I tried not to look down as I walked towards the doorway. I could hear the others behind me, breathing quickly. I did not go through straight away when I reached the doorway, but I stopped and held on to one of the sides to wait for the others to catch up.

Sydney's breath was coming at the speed of lightning. Opal appeared pale under her chocolate skin, and Connor was swallowing continuously. "What are we supposed to do now?" asked Opal. "I do not know," I replied soundlessly. Carefully, I put an arm through the doorway, and it disappeared up to my elbow.

"Step through," I said, and did just that, clenching my eyes closed as I did so.

My foot came down upon hard stone, and I opened my eyes.

I stood upon a circular stone platform. The air around the platform shimmered like a rainbow. Standing in the centre, facing away from me, was a grey-haired man in a grey-and-purple hat and robe. His arms were slightly out, and in his left hand he held a book.

I heard feet hit stone, and I turned to see my companions joining me upon the platform.

Then I heard the man in the centre speak: "Almighty power that commands all trades… O mysterious force that drives the winds of change…" We all looked to the man. He had lifted his right arm. "Come! Come to me n- Hm!"

Opal had coughed, and it had caught the man's attention. He turned to look at us. "Who dares interrupt this holy ceremony? If your purpose is to disrupt to rite, your efforts shall be in vain. None shall interfere with the will of the heavens!"

He turned to face the way he had when we had arrived. "The power is mine now. The power of supreme guidance. The wisdom to lead my flock along only the brightest of paths. And now I, Abbot Jack of Alltrades Abbey, implore you to grant me yet more power, that I may guide yet more lost souls! Fill me now! Anoint me! Grant me the gift of ultimate guidance!"

My attention was diverted from Abbot Jack by a blue light that winked in the multi-coloured shimmer of sky around the platform. But then, it winked out, and dark energy began to swirl about the Abbot, flickering with deep purple lightning. My breath caught as I saw the resemblance to the beams that had pierced the Observatory.

"Yes…YES!" cried the Abbot. "The power comes… Let it consume me!"

The darkness closed over him in a dome. The outline of the Abbot changed then, growing, becoming monstrous. I took a step back to Connor, who put an arm around my waist. It was comforting, but only slightly.

"Wh-what is this…?" wondered the Abbot's voice… and yet it was not his voice. It had gained strange, echoing overtones, and it had become louder, more powerful. "What have I become? This hideous form…am I a…a monster…? This…darkness… This…black power… It is not what I wished for…"

The darkness vanished, and we beheld a tall, bluish-violet figure kneeling where the Abbot had stood. "But perhaps… Yes…hm hm hm… I see now. It is through tyranny and fear that I shall ensure my charges follow the righteous path!"

He rose as quickly as a bolt of lightning. "I am no longer Jack of Alltrades! I am become Master of Nu'Un, and all will learn to obey me…or suffer my wrath!"

Connor snorted, I snickered, and Opal and Sydney both laughed at his continuation of the 'Jack of all trades' saying. Unfortunately, he appeared to hear us.

He turned as quickly as he had risen, and all of us recoiled. The Abbot's new form was red-eyed, not wearing robes- though there appeared to be nothing anywhere- and it had terrible claws. I swallowed.

"Hm hm hm. Well, well," said the Master of Nu'Un, smiling coldly. "What perfect timing. I was just looking for a subject on whom to test the true extent of my new-found power."

He assumed a fighting stance. "I wonder, will you allow me to guide you in the righteous path…or will you suffer the consequences of disobedience?"

The four of us readied our weapons- or fists, in Connor's case. Then, we rushed at the Master of Nu'Un and engaged him in battle.

Connor scooped up a handful of rubble from the ground and pitched it at the monster's face. "Augh!" he yelled, glaring angrily at Connor. Sydney thrust her staff forth and allowed the gust of wind to burst forth and rip through the Master of Nu'Un.

I raced at the monster. When my fan sliced into him, he roared in anger and stabbed at me with one of his claws. I grimaced as it ripped through the sleeve of my cuirass and into my arm. Then he whipped his tail about- he had a _tail_!- and sliced into Connor's calf. "Ow!" Connor yelled, sounding rather more indignant than injured.

Opal rushed at the Master of Nu'Un and sliced at him with her knife. He froze as stiffly as though he had been paralysed- which, I realised then, he had. Opal had mentioned yesterday that her knife could paralyse the things that it hit.

I could not help grinning. If luck was with us, this battle would be quite simple…

And yet, it went on for what felt like an hour. Opal had long ago ceased casting spells, and Sydney was reduced to using medicinal herbs to heal our wounds. We were not at a critical point yet, but I felt that it would come soon if we did not defeat the Master of Nu'Un quickly enough.

"Blast this," I muttered. Raising my fan, I cast a spell for the first time that battle: Crackle. As the icicle stabbed into him, the Master of Nu'Un slipped and fell backwards. He struggled to a kneeling position and rose no further. The violet lightning from before crackled about him, and streams of the darkness flowed outward.

"Nooooo!" he cried. "My power! My new-found power!" The darkness suddenly closed around him in a black cloud. When it burst away in to nothingness, he was returned to the original form of Abbot Jack, and he lay face down. His book lay beside his left hand.

"Urgh…" he moaned. Slowly, he rose, holding his book and his head. "Wh-what am I doing here…?" As he turned, he caught sight of us. His brow wrinkled. "And who…are you? Why are you here?"

I looked to the others, who appeared as confused as I. Did he not remember his transformation?

But since no answer was forthcoming, I looked back at Abbot Jack. "We came in search of a shining golden fruit, one that those at the Abbey claimed you to have eaten," I told him.

Abbot Jack said nothing for a moment, seemingly attempting to remember. "Yes, of course," he murmured. "I ate a shining fruit and…I remember very little after that…"

He looked down at the stones beneath his feet. "I only remember a terrifying feeling that I was…losing myself…" He shuddered, and I wondered how terrible an impact the fygg had truly had upon the Abbot.

"You did lose yourself, for a time," I told him after a moment's pause. "You took on the form of a terrible monster, and you seemed…hell-bent upon guiding your 'flock' through fear… I believe your exact words were 'fear and tyranny'. It was only through defeating you in battle that my companions and I were able to halt you, and you returned to yourself."

A look of shock came upon the Abbot's face as I spoke. "I see…" he said, and I wondered if he truly did. It would be a difficult thing to understand, surely.

Slowly, he began to walk in the direction of the light path. "Well, I must return to the Abbey. There are lost souls there in need of my guidance…"

A glow from the centre of the platform caught my eye, and I looked to see a whole, glowing fygg floating slightly above the stones. My eyes widened. "Look!" I pointed.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Stella. "It's only a flapping fygg! But I thought that addled old Abbot said he'd eaten it…" As she spoke, I crossed to pick it up, holding it gently as a piece of delicate chinaware. It was warm. "…Hm," Stella said as I looked back to them. "You've got your hands on a fygg at last. I'm over the moon for you, but I can't help worrying after seeing what eating one can do to even a mild-mannered old mortal like the Abbot…"

I could not help agreeing. What harm could the remainder of the fyggs cause the mortal world?

"Ah, well," Stella said, shrugging. "Not much we can do about it, eh? Let's get back to the Abbey."

"That's a good idea," Sydney said. As they turned to the path, I said, "Wait. I wish to try something."

They looked at me oddly, until Connor's eyes lit up. "The spell that the voice gave you up by the Tree?" he asked. I nodded. "I wish to see if it will work. Come! Perhaps it can transfer all of us back to the Abbey."

Connor quickly joined me. Sydney, Opal, and Stella did, as well, though with more hesitation. "What voice _was_ this?" Stella asked. "I mean, are we sure we can trust it? What if it-?"

However, we did not get the chance to hear 'what if'. I grasped Connor's hand, who took Sydney's, who grabbed Opal's, who took Stella by the wrist, and with my free hand, I made the motion I had seen by Yggdrasil. _Alltrades Abbey,_ I thought, and suddenly the Tower of Trades disappeared.

We were whipped up through a swirling vortex of colours and blurred shapes. It felt as though I were diving from a great height, but we were moving upwards. It was terrifying- and exhilarating!

Suddenly, my feet slammed onto solid ground, and the shapes and colours resolved themselves to the view from the base of the flight of stairs leading up to the Abbey. "Wow!" exclaimed Opal. "That…that was fun!"

A startled laugh broke free from my throat, and I looked to the others to see how they fared. Stella was stiff as a rod from shock, blinking. Sydney seemed either frightened or nauseous, I could not tell. Connor was grinning broadly.

"It seems the spell succeeded," I said lightly. "And I believe I am going to christen it Zoom."

"Sounds appropriate," said Sydney, sounding out of breath. "Let's go, shall we?"

So we ascended the stairs to the Abbey.

I could immediately sense the change inside. Abbot Jack stood in the back, where the red-robed man had stood before, and briefly I wondered how he had managed to return so quickly. Those inside the Abbey seemed more cheerful now that their Abbot was returned.

We went to speak to the Abbot. "Ah!" he cried upon seeing us. "Hello. I fear I didn't catch your names earlier; would you mind telling them to me?"

When we had introduced ourselves, Abbot Jack nodded. "Well, I thank you again for helping me out of my little predicament at the Tower of Trades before." He looked away. "I wonder what in the name of the Almighty was in that strange fruit! I was merely seeking a way to better guide my flock. Though the fruit clearly had extraordinary properties, sadly I could not control its power. It consumed me." He shook his head, returning his gaze to us. "Such a fruit should never have passed mortal lips. If you hadn't managed to stop me, I fear I may have destroyed the mortal world altogether. I am in your debt."

With that, to my intense surprise, he made a small bow to us. "At the very least, I hope my powers can be of assistance to you on your travels. Do any of you wish to change vocation, children?"

I looked to my companions. Connor rolled his eyes at me smiling. Opal shook her head vigorously, and Sydney shook hers as well, though with less fervour. I briefly entertained the notion of claiming that I wished to become a martial artist, simply to see Connor's reaction, but I discarded the idea. I enjoyed being thought a minstrel.

"Nay, sir," I said, looking back to the Abbot, who smiled. "So you are content with the lives you lead? The Almighty has blessed you with settled hearts. Praise be!"

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, I felt we were able to leave without being rude. So I turned, and my companions followed me out of the Abbot's presence.

"Where to now?" asked Opal as we walked towards the entrance of the Abbey. Sydney went into her bag for her map. "There's only one city on Newid Isle," she said, opening it up. "Porth Llaffan." She nodded towards it. It seemed rather small to be called a city, or even a town. Perhaps _village_ would be a more appropriate term.

"Do you suppose there will be a fygg to be found there?" I asked. Connor shrugged. "But from all accounts, it's a fishing village. Even if there isn't a fygg there, we might be able to hop ship to someplace else- Slurry Quay, maybe, or Bloomingdale."

I nodded. "Shall we go there, then?" I asked. We looked to one another, and Opal shrugged. "Sounds like as good a plan as any," she said. So Sydney folded up her map and we headed south to Porth Llaffan.

As we walked, I revelled in the warm sunlight. I had never been one for cold weather, and warmth and light filled me with quiet happiness.

Of course, more than a little of that happiness came from the boy whose hand I held. I spoke little, but what words I did say were in the main directed to him. Mostly, we held hands and enjoyed the presence of the sun and one another.

When we had not reached Porth Llaffan by eleven thirty, Sydney pulled some bread, meat, strawberries, and water out of her bag. I wondered briefly if she had placed some sort of spell upon her bag so it could carry all that it did- food, a map, water, medicinal herbs, and the assorted other items that I glimpsed. But I soon forgot as we continued walking, eating our lunches.

It was about noon when we reached a tall wooden fence that stretched between two cliff sides. A gate was set into the centre, but it was closed. I looked to the others, who were looking about as I was. "So, do we just…push it open?" asked Sydney. I shrugged. "Why not?" asked Opal, and she pushed the gate open. We followed her into the village.

Ahead and to our right was a small church. In front of us, across a small tongue of sea, was a dock with a small boat moored to it. However, all the people were standing in an arc around something at the water's edge at the beach. Curious, I moved forward to look with my companions.

Through the small crowd, I saw the form of a small girl in a beige dress with pink pigtails standing with her feet in the water.

"Ohh!" exclaimed a woman's voice. "She's startin', she's startin'!"

The girl walked forward and kneeled in the water. It came above her waist in that position. "O mighty Lleviathan!" she called, head bowed. "Rise up from the depths and bless us with Youer presence! Lend us Youer power, and shower the gifts of the oceans upon we, the humble fold of Porth Llaffan."

As she looked up, the ground began to rumble. Alarmed, I looked around for something to hold on to that was not Connor- no doubt we would both fall if the shaking increased.

"Ooo!" exclaimed Stella. Of course she would not be bothered by the shaking ground- she had her wings. "What's all this about? Sounds juicy!"

"Look!" cried a man from the crowd. "Over there! It's Lleviathan!"

I looked up to see an enormous purplish-blue whale's tail rising above the waves. _Oh, blast it!_ I thought, realising what was going to happen. "Duck," I said, doing so myself. "That's not a duck, it's a flapping-!" exclaimed Stella, but at that moment, the tail splashed down upon the water.

A rain of water and fish splashed down upon the beach, and a large amount of very salty water hit us upon the heads.

"Aaaaaagh!" yelled Stella. "I told you to duck," I reminded her, shaking my head. "Ugh, I'm soaked…" muttered Opal.

"Wahoo!" exclaimed a man in the crowd. "Praise be! Fish! Buckets and buckets of fish! There's lovely!"

I heard a cracking noise from my right and looked to see Stella cracking her knuckles. "Gah!" she said. "I'm fl-fl-flapping soaked! Why not give the newcomers a word of warning before it starts raining sprats and cods, hm! So what was that gimongous great big thing anyway? And what's it doing being bossed about by a little girl?"

The little girl in question had risen from her position in the water and was returning to shore, wringing out her dress. She appeared to be about ten or eleven years of age, and she had large blue eyes.

"I believe we should speak to her," I murmured. "Sounds like the best way to find things out," agreed Connor, so we moved to intercept her.

"Oh!" cried the girl when she saw us. Though her accent was rough, her voice was high and sweet. "Youer travellers, aren't you? I couldn't trouble you to come by my house this evenin', could I? It's the tiny little place to the east of the dock. I'm shooer youell find it. There's somethin' I'd like to ask you…"

I nodded, intrigued. The girl smiled and moved past us to speak with a plump woman in a magenta dress and a white headdress. My companions and I looked about at one another. "Well, 'til evening, why don't we go and look for a shop?" asked Opal enthusiastically. I laughed. "Shall we?" I asked the others. "Why not?" said Sydney, and we set off in search of a store.

We found it on the other side of the small tongue of sea and headed in. "Ooh!" squealed Opal, immediately spotting something that interested her. Smiling, I shook my head, and began perusing the racks.

Nothing caught my interest until I saw something hanging on the end of a rack. It was a silver shirt, halter-topped and very short, along with a bright red skirt that would likely come to somewhere about my knees. There were yellow triangles bordering the bottom of the skirt. I picked it up to look at it closer.

It was rather…cute, I decided. The skirt was not too tight, so it would not restrict my movement. The absence of excess material in the top had no noticeable purpose, and it could be impractical in battle, but what there was in the top was not fabric at all; it was metal. It was a very short breastplate.

I held it up to myself, trying to figure out if it would fit. It looked as though it would, so I held on to it as I continued browsing.

When we had all finally finished, we met up by the counter to pay. Neither Sydney nor Connor had anything new, but Opal had a long, long-sleeved green robe with a red jewel at its throat and a blue cloth belt at the waist, and a pair of black rubber boots.

We paid for our new armour, and then Opal and I went to the back to change. Before I left the changing room, I looked at myself in the mirror. I turned to the side, spun around, letting my skirt swirl around me, and smiled.

When I stepped out, I had the satisfaction of seeing Connor's eyes widen. I spun for them, and laughed. "What do you think?"

"I-it's a good look on you," Connor said. He sounded almost strangled. I had to laugh. "By the way, Opal, I rather like your getup," I told Opal. She beamed and spun about herself. The bottom of her robe covered the top of her boots.

We sold our old clothing- what of it was not torn or bloodied from battles- and left. Blinking in the sunshine of the early afternoon, I asked, "What shall we do until evening?"

That seemed to have us all stumped. It occurred to me that we had spent so much of our time with a purpose, travelling and fighting, that without anything to do we became quite at a loss.

Finally, I said, "I think I shall go down to the beach. I wish to see what it is like so close to the sea."

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind," Connor said. I smiled at him and took his hand. "I never mind." Connor smiled back at me.

"I think I'll go try to meet the people here," said Opal. "I'm going to go to the church," Sydney said. "I want to find out more about this Lleviathan." So we parted, with the agreement to meet on the beach when the sun set.

When Connor and I reached the beach, I pulled off my boots and left them by the nets in middling stages of repair that sat about the beach. "Aah," I sighed, wiggling my toes in the sand. "This feels quite nice."

Connor smiled. "That's why I don't wear shoes," he said. "I like feeling sand on my feet- and mud, and grass, and other things. I'll admit, though, I have to wash my feet an awful lot," he laughed. I smiled. "I would imagine so."

We walked out to the shore proper and waded a few feet out into the waves. The water was comfortably cool, clear, and mildly salty. I was surprised by that for a moment, until I remembered a book I had read once that said the sea was salty. It was not an unpleasant thing.

The two of us stood there for some time in companionable silence. It was a peaceful moment, and I felt that all that had happened since I had fallen was worth it now. Without falling, I would not have met Connor; without the difficult battles we had endured, we would not trust one another so; and had Connor not been nearly cursed by Morag and come down with the contagion, I was not sure I would have realised just how much I cared for him.

But eventually, the silence ended. "Tell me something about you," Connor said. I looked to him curiously. "What shall I tell you?"

"Anything," Connor replied. "About your training as a Celestrian, your life in the Observatory, what you did before you fell. Friends, family, your master Aquila. I want to know more about you."

I looked away, trying to gather my thoughts. "Well…there was not to my life in the Observatory," I said. I looked back at him. "I was rather a…loner, I believe the word is. I spent much of my time in the library with a Celestrian named Columba, who was the librarian. Aquila would come in at times to speak with her- they had had the same master, centuries ago, and I believed they both missed him. Other Celestrians occasionally came in, but I did not speak with them. I was not a social one."

"So I guess that rules out friends," Connor said. I smiled. "Aside from Aquila, I was close to no one in the Observatory. I got on with Columba and Apus Major, but that is all."

"Apus Major…" said Connor. "The older man with the eagle cane?" I nodded. "That is him."

"What about family?" Connor asked. "I did not have a family. Celestrians do not conceive and bear children as mortals do," I told him. "Young Celestrians come from the stars, and we return to the stars when it comes our time to die."

"Oh." Connor shifted, seeming unsure. Then: "What was your master like?"

"Much like me," I responded after a moment's thought. "He was not one for company. He had never taken an apprentice until Apus Major bade him to take me on, though he was a senior Celestrian. He could be rather firm and strict, but he was a fair master and a good person. He was caring, though he did not look it."

"What did he look?" Connor asked. "Fierce," I told him. "He kept his head closely shaven, so the only hair he seemed to have were his brows. They were dark as…well, as your own," I said, suddenly seeing the resemblance. "Your hair seems about the colour of what his would be if he did not shave it." The realisation surprised me.

I shook my head sharply to clear it, and continued. "He was…strong. He had grey eyes." I opened my mouth to say more, but I stopped. I could think of no more to say about his looks.

"You liked him," Connor said. It was not a question. "I did," I replied. "We were much alike. He was one of the few who did not irritate me most of the time. He was kind to me, in his way, and I cared for him. We were as close to friends as master and apprentice could be."

I sighed.

"Tell me about you," I encouraged. I was not simply eager to direct the conversation away from my master and myself; I wanted to know. "About your family, or friends in Stornway, why you became a martial artist. I want to know more about you," I said, smiling as I repeated his words. Connor laughed.

"My mother's from Coffinwell originally," he told me. "She was Uncle Jack's little sister. Dad's from Stornway, and they met each other when Mom was visiting the city."

"What about siblings?"

"I have two younger sisters," Connor replied. "Annie's ten, and Kathy's eight. Annie's got a talent for sword fighting; she talks about becoming a warrior. I think Kathy's going to end up a doctor- she loves healing, and she's good at it." He smiled at that. "She's actually a lot like Sydney." I smiled, too.

He continued without my prompting: "I didn't have many friends in Stornway; I took care of my sisters and practised martial arts. I started martial arts after Annie was born, 'cause I felt pretty useless." He fingered the cloth belt on his shirt. "I've been meaning to replace this belt with my black one."

"You have a black belt?" I asked, impressed. I knew little about martial arts, but from my reading I knew that a black belt was the highest possible. Connor nodded. "I've got it right here," he told me, pulling a coiled black strip of cloth out of the pocket of his short pants.

"Well, I might as well change it now," he murmured, and untied the white belt around his waist. I watched as he tied the black belt with an unusual knot, and looked up. "That looks to be a very secure knot," I said, nodding towards it. Connor smiled. "My sensei called it the undoable knot."

At that, I had to laugh. Conner did, as well, saying, "Well, he did! And it's true- if you tie it right, it won't come undone until you deliberately untie it."

"It sounds very useful," I said.

After that, we fell into silence. I moved a half-step closer to Connor, and he moved closer to me, and we stood there with our arms touching. Then Connor asked a question about my training, and we continued speaking for the rest of the afternoon.

The sun was half beneath the surface of the waves when all of us met up on the beach. I stared down at my boots. _Blast, _I thought. I had not thought about what I would do about drying my feet. Then I shrugged and put the boots in my bag. I would go shoeless for the time being.

"Shall we go to the girl's house, then?" I asked. "I think that's the plan," Sydney said. And so we headed off to the tiny house near the beach.

"Oh, hello, travellers," said the girl. She was standing behind a small firepit. The flames were blue and green, oddly. Then I remembered something I had once read: driftwood burned blue and green due to the salt.

As we approached her and her fire, she said, "I'm ever so glad to see you. I've been waitin' for someone who's not from by here to happen along see. It's just that-"

A man with a long black braid burst into the room. "Jona!" he called, and all of us turned to look at him. "You here, dab?" He looked over, and seemed surprised to see us. "Oh! I didn't know you had comp'ny, like. I've not seen your faces around here before, have I?"

Without waiting for an answer, he looked back to Jona. "Anyhow… Mayor Bryce wants a word with you, Jona. You'd best come along now."

"Oh!" said Jona. "Yes, of course…" The man left, and Jona sighed. "I… I'm sorry. I won't be long, I'm shooer. Could you wait for me 'til I get back?" We nodded, and she turned and jogged out.

After only a second of waiting, I was already itching to follow. I resisted for a moment, then said, "That is it. I need to find out what is going on!"

"Let's go," Opal enthused. "I was curious, too, but I didn't wanna say anything. I found out where the Mayor lives this afternoon, follow me!"

All of us jogged out of the house. As we passed, I heard a ghostly woman on the beach: "They're wrong… That thing they're summoning isn't Lleviathan at all." She said more, but I did not hear it.

Opal led us past the store to a fairly large house, for Porth Llaffan. "Here it is," Opal said. I tried the door, and it was unlocked. We peered around a corner to see a long-haired man in blue standing behind a table, along with a boy of about Jona's age, who looked as though his hair had been cut with a bowl as a guideline. Jona stood across from them. I could only see part of her face.

Bryce was speaking. "Jona, it's been a tidy old while now since Dylan went missin' in that storm. I-I'm sorry in my heart for you, bach. But it's hopeluss to go on believin' he's alive. He's not comin' back, Jona. And that's why…I've decided I'll afto adopt you."

"Hah?" asked the boy. He looked to Bryce. "There's… There's fantastic, Dad!" He looked to Jona. "You don't want to be all alone, after all, do you, Jona?"

"You and young Bryson here get along alright, like," said Bryce. "And I've always thought of you as one of my own, like. You've put on a brave face for long enough, bach. It's time you let go now."

There was a long silence. Though Bryce had seemed sincere, there was something amiss about his last speech. It was his statement about Jona being like one of his own, I decided. It did not sound quite right.

Finally, Jona said, "Thank you… Thank you, Mayor. I'll… I'll be shooer to give it some thought." She looked up from the table. "But, erm…bein' as I'm by here, there's somethin' I was hopin' to ask you about too. I've been thinkin', and I don't want to summon Lleviathan any more."

"But-! Jona…" said Bryce. "I… I just don't feel like it's right somehow, livin' like this. So I-"

"Don't be spoutin' nonsense like that all bald-headed, Jona!" exclaimed Bryce, and Jona stopped. What little of her face I could see seemed shocked. "No one in the village wants to hear it. Brazen, it is! And anyway, what else have you got to offer Porth Llaffan, eh? Is there some other way you can help out by here?"

Jona looked back down. "Well, er…"

"Never mind," said Bryce, "I think that's enough said for one day. You must be tired. Take youerself home and have a rest, alright?"

Jona said nothing, but turned and walked away. When she saw us, she did not seem very surprised. "Oh, it's you," she said. "I suppose you overheard all that, did you? Well, never mind. Youell come back to my place so we can have a little chat, will you?"

We followed her back to her house. When we had all arrayed ourselves about the fire, Jona said, "It's just not right, relyin' on the God of the Sea for all ouer food like we are. But no one wants to hear it. And Mayor Bryce…well, you heard what he thinks about it all. That's why I was hopin' to ask outsiders like you for youer opinions. You know, someone impartial, like. So, what do you think? It's wrong livin' like we are, intit?"

"Yes," I said, as the others replied, "Yeah." Jona's face broke into a smile. "Well it's a relief to hear someone else say it at last, I can tell you. I knew it couldn't be just me who thought so." She folded her arms. "Right, I've got my gummel up now. I'm goin' to give it to Mayor Bryce straight this time. I'm not callin' Lleviathan any more." Her eyes drifted to the window, and they widened in surprise. "Oh dear!" she exclaimed. "I've been spoutin' off so much, it's got ever so late all of a sudden."

She looked back to us. "And I don't suppose you've got a place to stay, have you?" When we shook our heads, she nodded. "Right, well, youell afto spend the night by here, then." Despite our protests, she would not back down, and so that night all of us laid down cosily in Jona's small home.

"Oi, Zera," hissed Stella later, "are you awake?"

"No," I muttered. "Let me sleep, Stella."

She ignored me. "Why did you have to go shooting your mouth off, hm? What if they kick the poor girl out of the village? I'll admit that Llevia-whatsit seems like trouble. He certainly needs to learn a thing or two about not splashing people…" She trailed off, and I imagined the glower that would be on her face. "But what can you do about it?" she continued. "Are you going to poke your sticky nose in village affairs? Well careful, because it might get burnt!"

I snorted, rolled over, and was soon asleep.

But I knew, as soon as I woke the next morning, that something was amiss. I blinked in the sunshine that was streaming in through the window, looked around, and soon realised what it was.

Jona was gone!

* * *

><p>Well, here I am again! Sorry it took me so long to upload this chapter, but...oh, well, I've got it here now!<p>

So, what did you all think? I hate to sound needy, but I'm honestly curious about how you see my story. If there are any grammer mistakes, I'm really sorry, and I don't know how they snuck in here; I reread it to try to kick them out.

Until next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	8. Chapter 8

Our frantic search for the missing Jona was rather short-lived. There simply were not enough places for someone- even a young girl- to hide in Porth Llaffan. Opal's trip about the town the day before proved useful- she had learnt the names of everyone in town, as well as how the town was set up. However, no one could tell us where Jona was.

It was nearly eight o'clock when I spotted Bryson pacing back and forth behind his home. "Come," I said. "Perhaps he will know where Jona is!"

When we told him that Jona was missing, he exclaimed, "I knew it! Jona came by here and told Dad she didn't want to call Lleviathan any more! You should have seen Dad's face! Fierce beyond, it was! Then he took her off to Cuddiedig Cliff. I've got a terrible feelin' about all this. I think you should go after Dad and Jona."

"That's the plan," said Sydney. "Thanks, Bryson."

"Erm…" I said, "where exactly _is _Cuddiedig Cliff?"

Bryson pointed. "Out of the gate, southwest, and through the caverns on the west side of the beach."

I nodded. "Thank you!"

We ran out the gate. As we travelled along the path Bryson had told us, I heard Sydney rummaging through her bag. "What are you looking for?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Food," Sydney said. "We need to be prepared for anything up there, and rushing into things on empty stomachs isn't the best plan there is!" She tossed each of us a small loaf of bread. We did not slow down as we ate, continuing to race down the path. A surprised cyclown spun to the side as we passed.

From what I noticed, the beach was nice enough. But I did not stand about to enjoy the view, but rather turned and ran into the cavern to the west. Once inside, I had to stop. My right side was sharply pained, and I was out of breath. While I recovered, I looked about.

I stood upon a small island of rock covered with wet and coral. Fairly large stepping-stones showed the paths to other islands dotting the cavern, which was otherwise filled with water. Several water-dwelling monsters prowled about.

When all of us were together and recovered, we continued through the cavern. Through a series of guesses, accidents, and one slip into the water (me, unfortunately), we made it to an area that was not inside the cavern, but rather above. On the other side of yet another expanse of water was a set of stairs, which I was certain would lead to the cliff.

I led the way down to the waterside. I hesitated more than earlier before leaping onto the first of the stepping-stones- my accident had made me wary- but then we continued without incident to the base of the stairs. We raced up, two stairs at a time.

To our right as we reached the top, there was a small wooden sign:

_Cuddiedig Cliff_

_PRIVATE BEACH! KEEP OUT!_

_By order of Mayor Bryce of Porth Llaffan._

"He shares well," muttered Connor. I snorted. "There," said Opal, pointing ahead of us, "there's everyone."

Jona stood at the very tip of the cliff, looking out over the ocean. It seemed to me a rather precarious position. Bryce stood behind her and to the left. Behind and to the left of _him_ was the black-haired man who had spoken to Jona the night before. Over to the right was a rather large man with blond hair.

As we approached, Bryce moved to stand beside Jona. "There's beautiful, eh, love?" he asked. "I fancy you'll be able to clear youer head a bit by here and then we can have a tidy little chat."

Jona looked down and said nothing. Bryce put a hand on her shoulder in what was evidently supposed to be a comforting manner. "You must be awful tired, what with all the summonin' we've had you doin' lately, eh, you pooer thing. Well, I wanted you to know that if you give youer Uncle Bryce the word, I'll see that the summonin' stops tomorrow. I'll just tell everyone in the village that you've lost the power to call Lleviathan. Simple, see?"

Something was wrong. Bryce would not be offering to stop the summoning after his outburst the night before! He was up to something, I was certain of it.

Jona looked up. "Mr Mayor, I…"

"And then you can pop down my here with me once in a while," continued Bryce, "and we can have a little summon in secret. There's all kinds of coral and pearls and such at the bottom of the ocean, see. And all that treasure in them sunken ships too. You could be askin' Lleviathan to bring the likes of that up for you now, couldn't you? Instead of borin' old fish, eh?"

I had known there would be a catch.

Jona pulled away from Bryce, seeming scandalised. "Pearls? Treasure? Mr Mayor! I can't believe I'm hearin' this! Outrageous, it is!"

Bryce leaned forward in a manner obviously meant to be comforting, like his shoulder touch earlier. "Now, now, love," he said. "Don't get all het up. I only meant every once in a while. Whenever youer feelin' up to it, like. Just think how much happier we'd all be. All rich and contented, like."

"Rich…?" Jona asked. "Contented…?"

"That's right bach," Bryce said. "And all you have to do is accept that youer father isn't comin' home and let me adopt you, see. Simple. I'll be youer new father, love. There's tidy, eh?"

I realised now why he was so keen to adopt Jona. Until she reached legal adulthood (sixteen years of age in the Protectorate), her possessions also belonged to her father. Any treasure Bryce convinced her to bring up would belong to him!

Jona was shaking her head. Had there been space on the cliff, I had no doubt that she would be backing away. "No!" she said. "Youer not my dad, and you never will be!" I gasped as the ground began to rumble beneath my feet. "My dad's-"

All of us looked out to sea as something under the water forced it to hump up. "Er…Zera…" said Stella uneasily, but she did not get the chance to say more. An enormous whale, purple-blue on the top, red on the bottom, with yellow eyes, burst out of the sea and landed with an earth-shaking crash on the tip of the cliff. Bryce was knocked nearly two metres back and landed on his rear; Jona was knocked down. I gaped as Bryce scrambled onto his knees before the thing and began bowing repeatedly.

"O mighty Lleviathan! Thank You! You heard ouer callin' and You've come to bless us with Youer help again!" He paused on his hands and his knees to look at Jona, who was staring at the whale with shock. "Come on, Jona, start prayin'. Ask Lleviathan to go and bring us some treasure by here!"

Lleviathan roared, and Bryce was blown backwards. "Aaaah!"

Then the whale reared up. "J-Jona!" cried Bryce. Lleviathan leapt into the air (quite a sight to see!), mouth opened- came down-

-And swallowed Jona whole! Bryce scrambled back, looking rather crab-like as he did. "Yikes!" exclaimed Stella. "That was a bite from the blue! Something seriously fishy's going on here…"

Ignoring the faerie's attempt at puns, I looked to my companions. And as one, we raced forward to engage the great whale.

Connor assumed an odd stance- balancing upon one foot, arms crossed in front of his chest. He brought his foot down then, just as he flung his arms apart, and a gust of wind blasted Lleviathan.

"How did you do that?" I asked, incredulous. Connor grinned. "Focus," he told me. "Lots and lots of focus."

Opal cast Crackle. I was surprised when Lleviathan did not roar, but then I realised that Jona must have been in its mouth. Perhaps it would not be difficult to get her out!

Sydney whacked the whale in the jaw with her staff. I then raced forward and sliced through the more delicate-looking skin on its underside.

Lleviathan reared up and crashed down atop Connor's left leg. "Augh!" he yelled. He yanked a half-crushed medicinal herb out of his pocket and rubbed it over the injured spot. As Opal cast Crackle once again, he stood unsteadily, tested his weight, and grinned. It seemed the herb had done its job.

"Try to make it open its mouth!" I called as Sydney raced forward. To my surprise, she did not use her staff to attack. Instead, she kicked Lleviathan on its underside, almost in the exact same place where I had sliced it. Now it roared, and Sydney shoved her staff into its mouth, forcing it to stay open.

"Jona!" we cried. The girl was hugging her knees inside the whale's enormous mouth, her eyes squeezed shut. When she heard us, she opened them, stood uncertainly, then raced out. She looked back as Sydney grabbed her staff and the Lleviathan's mouth closed. "I… I'm fine…" she murmured, seeming disbelieving. Then she looked around at us. "Youer not hurt, are you?"

"Of course not!" said Opal. Connor snorted quietly, but he smiled. We regrouped as Jona walked towards us. Then my stomach clenched as Lleviathan's eyes gleamed. It roared, and looked as though it intended to start after us. "Aaaaaah!" cried Jona, and to my shock she turned and flung her arms out to the side in front of us…protecting us?

"No!" she said. "P-Please! Don't hurt them!" And then I gasped as Lleviathan spoke in a man's voice: "But they're some of Mayor Bryce's stooges, aren't they?"

Jona stiffened, staring up at the whale. "Y-Youer voice…!" she exclaimed. A soft blue light materialised over Lleviathan's head, resolving into the figure of a muscular, ponytailed man with a moustache and short beard. "Da…Dad?" asked Jona disbelievingly. "Dad!"

She raced forward.

"Dylan!" exclaimed Bryce. "What in the name of…!"

"What is it?" asked Stella, who had most likely fled behind a rock when we engaged the whale. "What the flap's going on!"

Ignoring these outbursts, Dylan looked to Connor, Opal, Sydney, and me. "I'm sorry for what I've put you trav'llers through." He looked to Jona then, and his face softened. "And Jona, bach… I can't tell you 'ow sorry I am for all the pain I've caused you."

He looked up. "That night of the storm, I was thrown tidy from the boat, like. Then all of a sudden, this golden fruit drops down next to me." _A fygg. Of course, _I thought.

Dylan looked back to his daughter. "Fadin', I was, good an' fast, so I just grabbed hold of it, see. All I could think of was you, Jona, back there on the shore. I was thinkin' 'ow you'd get on without me, you bein' still such a young dab an' all…

"And out there that day, right in the middle of the ocean, I died. Only, next thing I know… I'm not dead at all, I'm swimmin' round lookin' like a big old whale. Shocked, I was, I don't afto tell you!"

"I…" Jona said. "I don't…"

"I was bringin' all those fish by the village there so's you wouldn't afto go without, love," Dylan said. "I never thought it would bring all the rest of those gannets runnin' like it did… I've kept out of it 'til now, but enough is enough. Come on, love, let's leave this greedy village and its rotter of a mayor behind. You won't afto worry about nothin' once we're away from by here. I'll take care of you from now on."

"Oh, Dad…" said Jona. I could not see much of her face, but she seemed sad. Shaking her head, she said, "I can't. I, I just can't do that. I want to stay by here and help with the fishin', see. I afto learn to stand on my own two feet. I've watched you workin' away all these years, and now it's my turn. I'll be the tidiest fisherman Porth Llaffan's ever known, just you wait and see. I'll make you proud, Dad. I can't go on relyin' on you forever. It's time I started makin' my own way in the world. You understand, don't you…?"

"J-Jona…" Dylan said, but whatever he planned to say was interrupted. "Joooonaaaaaa!"

Everyone turned. Bryson was racing up the stairs. He stopped only a short distance from Jona, breathing heavily. His bowl-cut hair was flung about from the run. "Bryson?" Jona asked, as surprised as the rest of us. "Whatever are you doin' out by here?"

"Are you alright?" asked Bryson, declining to answer. "I-I'm sorry about my dad… I was sick beyond worryin' about you, I was. I had to come after you."

It was only then that he seemed to notice Dylan. "That's… That's youer dad, isn't it?" Looking up to Dylan, he said, "You can rely on me, sir. I'm no flag. I'll look after youer daughter when I grow up."

A smile spread over Jona's face. "Bryson…" She looked to her father. "Thank you so much for becomin' Lleviathan so you could carry on lookin' after me, Dad. But I'm alright now, see…"

"Jona…" Dylan murmured. "I was so caught up worryin' about lookin' after my little girl that I never realised she'd grown into a fine young woman… If I'd only stopped to notice, I'd never afto 'ave caused you all so much trouble… I know you can do it, love, so I'm takin' you at youer word." He smiled. "I'll be watchin' over you every step of the way, mind. Good luck makin' youer own way in the world, bach." There was a bright gleam, and Dylan said more, but it was only for Jona. I did not hear it.

The bright light that was Dylan disappeared, leaving the cliff seeming oddly dark. Then, a fygg winked into existence in front of me. "Look, Zera! It's a fygg!" exclaimed Stella, as though I could not see it myself. I held out my hands, and the fygg floated down to land in them. I smiled.

Bryson ran over to us. "Thank you ever so much," he said. "You really helped everyone in the village out." He turned to look at Jona then. "Jona. D'you want to head back now?"

"Mmm…" said Jona, who was staring out over the ocean. Slowly, she turned and walked towards. There was a slight smile upon her face.

And we returned to Porth Llaffan.

/\*/\

The rest of the day was uneventful in comparison to our morning. Bryce made a speech of ridiculous length after we had all returned. I missed at the least half of what was said, because after the first fifteen minutes, Connor and I left the crowd to walk down to the beach as we had the night before.

"Two fyggs down," he said, looking out over the waves. "How many are left?"

"Five," I told him. His lips pulled down slightly.

"What is the matter, Connor?"

It was a moment before he looked down to answer me. "There are only five fyggs left before you have to return to the Observatory." My shoulders drooped. I had been attempting to suppress that thought.

Trying to keep from becoming completely worn down with gloom, I said, "Five whole fyggs left for us to be together."

"It's not enough," Connor said. His chin was set in a stubborn manner. "I don't want five more fyggs with you. That could never come close to long enough."

"Oh, Connor." I moved closer to him, tried to put my arms around him, but he slipped away, deeper into the waves. "I can't do it," he said. "I don't want to even think about not seeing you again after we collect these stupid fyggs. I don't want to be away from you ever."

Strangely, I felt anger rising up in me. "Do you think it will not be just as difficult for me!" I asked hotly. "I do not wish to be apart from you, either! And what will you have to live through- seventy, eighty years? My life will extend for centuries more- during most of which I will be forced to endure with the knowledge that you are not even living upon the Protectorate! Do not even try to speak to me of how difficult it would be!"

Upon the end of my speech, I felt my eyes well up. I tried to wipe them away without Connor noticing, but I did not succeed. "I'm sorry," Connor said, returning to me. "I… I didn't think about that."

He put his arms around me, and I burrowed my face into his shirt. I could not remain mad any more. "No, I am sorry," I said. "I should not have exploded so." I put my arms around him. "I just do not wish to have you away from me."

Connor said nothing, but pulled me in slightly closer. After a moment, he whispered into my ear, "That's not how I meant any of that to sound, I swear. I didn't mean to make you mad…or make you cry."

"It was not your fault," I said. My words were slightly muffled by the cloth of his shirt. "I do not know what came over me."

"How about if we just forget that happened?" Connor asked. I smiled slightly. "That sounds like a good plan."

We stood there silently for several moments more. The depth of emotion I felt surprised me. There was sadness, yes, and longing- longing for more time with Connor, for that particular moment to never end; but there was something more, something I could not quite describe to myself. It was…a heat? No, it was another longing, but of a different sort. I was longing for Connor, all of him; his mind, his heart…and his lips, his arms about me, even tighter than now. It made my heart beat quickly and heat rise to my skin.

But I did not allow it to overtake me. My reserve had all but vanished, aye; but I could not let myself give in, to commit my all. I did not even dare to kiss him, for fear of what might happen next…and fear of the pain which would come when, inevitably, we would be forced to part. No pleasure could make up for that pain.

Eventually, the sounds of Bryce's speech faded away, and I heard people begin to chatter. The noise was moving towards us. I pulled away gently, looking up at Connor. "I suppose we ought to see what is going on," I said. Connor nodded in agreement, and we let go of one another. As we walked back onto the beach, though, I took his hand. That, at least, I could retain.

"What's going on?" Connor asked Sydney as she approached us. "There's going to be a big village celebration before everyone has to begin working again," she informed us. "I think Bryce is just trying to make up for making everyone listen to that horrible speech."

I laughed. "Will there be food at this celebration?"

Sydney smiled. "Of course! But we'd better go quick- Opal might eat all of it otherwise."

We joined the villagers beginning their merrymaking on the beach, and spent the rest of the day happily.

I awoke the next morning to bright sunshine streaming in one of the windows in Bryce's house. He had offered all four of us beds for the night- we joked that it was in apology for the speech. Connor and the others were already awake and eating with Bryson.

"Oh, youer awake, are you?" asked Bryson, seeing me stretching. As I joined them at the table, he said, "I want to thank you again for everythin' you've done. Youer made of tough stuff, that's for shooer. When I grow up, I want to be just like you. I'll keep Jona safe. She'll never afto be lonely with me around. I mean, everyone says how tough she is, but, well… She's still a girl, like."

He pushed back from the table and turned to leave. "Oh, yeah!" he said then. "I almost forgot. As of today, the ferry's back up and runnin again. There's marvellous, eh?"

He smiled, then left. As I dug into my breakfast, Opal said, "All right! This means we can head off to the next port today!"

Sydney pulled her map onto the table. "The nearest port to us is Slurry Quay," she said, pointing. "Although it's not really a town- not even a village. Anyway, that's probably where we'll be sailing to."

"And it's right next to a fairly large town," I said, noticing the town symbol to the southwest. "Dourbridge."

I thought I saw something cross Sydney's face, but when I looked up, it was gone. She rolled up her map and smiled. "Well, let's eat!" she said. "We might as well get going as soon as we can."

Before we left, however, we stopped by the beach to say goodbye to Jona. She was mending one of the nets that had been lying on the sand when we had arrived in town.

"Oh, hello," she said when she saw us. "I, er… I want to thank you. I was worried beyond about how everyone'd take to me sayin' I wasn't goin' to call Lleviathan any more. But it's fine." She paused. "I still can hardly believe it, even though I saw it with my own eyes, like. To think that my dad was Lleviathan all along… When I saw him by there, I didn't care that he's changed into some sea monster, I just wanted to stay with him. To be together."

She sighed, then continued. "But it's hopeluss feelin' like that, isn't it? I mean, he's gone now. I do miss him somethin' chronic, though." Her shoulders went back then, and her chin up. "I'm gonna be strong, youell see! I've got my Mam and Dad watchin' over me, and Bryson's a tidy lad too."

"I am certain that you will be a great fisherwoman," I said. Jona smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I do hope I'll be able to see you all again someday. Goodbye."

We said our own goodbyes, and then we headed for the dock. A burly sailor in a blue bandana stood at the helm. "We're settin' sail for the mainland over to the east. You comin' aboard?"

"Aye," I said. The man smiled broadly. "Ah-ha! Right on time. Alright, then… Anchors aweigh!"

He and another man raised the mainsail and we set off from the port. The sun was warm on my skin, the breeze comfortably cool, and the waves gentle. The rocking motion of the boat felt quite nice. We moved to the stern to stay out of the sailors' way.

"Well," Stella said, facing out towards the sea, "if you'd ever told me I'd be using some mortal's ship to get about the place, I would have called you a bear-faced liar! Grr!"

She turned to look at us. "So it's off to new shores, eh? Keep up the good work rate, and you'll have those fyggs gathered in no time, Zera. And with a bit of luck, I'll find out where old fatguts has got to soon as well…"

Connor and I both tensed as she mentioned having all the fyggs gathered. But in the warmth and peace of the boat, it was difficult to remain worried. The breeze in my face and blowing my hair, the sound of the waves and the sails, made me feel incredibly free. I leaned over the side of the boat and dipped the hand that wasn't holding Connor's into the water. It was cool, and very clear. I couldn't help smiling.

About an hour after leaving Porth Llaffan, we reached port at Slurry Quay. It really was quite small- nothing but a dock, a small inn, and a pair of men selling their wares on a rug. As we docked, the man with the bandana said, "Well, here we are at Slurry Quay. This is as far as I can take you, I'm afraid. If youer lookin' to go sailin' all over, like, youell have to get a boat of youer own. Word in the taverns is there's a beauty of a vessel down in Bloomindale just sitting there with no one using her."

He gave us a knowing wink, and we disembarked. "He must have been talking about the _Pride of Bloomingdale_," Opal said, walking a little ahead of us- directly towards the men's small shop. I smiled. "It is always the store, is it not?"

"Yes," Opal replied, not breaking stride. I shook my head in amusement, but we followed her anyway.

"Welcome!" exclaimed a turbaned man, one of the two on the mat. "I'm sorry about the limited selection, but then we're a small place! So, have fun looking through our wares."

Opal took him at his word. Connor, Sydney, and I began looking through as well, though with less gusto. There was not much to choose from.

To my surprise, Opal chose nothing. I found a pair of silver arm bangles for myself. Sydney did not choose anything either, but Connor found something: a pair of galvanised geta. We paid for them, and we put them on- arms and feet, respectively. Then we went into the inn to look at Sydney's map and plan where we would go next.

"Well, it looks like Dourbridge is pretty close by," Connor said. Sydney coughed once. I looked up. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing," Sydney said. "I was just thinking that maybe we could go around to Bloomingdale."

Connor, Opal, and I looked at one another. "I'm all for going to Bloomingdale," Opal said, "but why not stop by Dourbridge first? I mean, it's fairly large; there's bound to be a store there, and I'm not sure there's a way to get to Bloomingdale without going through Dourbridge, unless you have a boat."

Sydney's lips pulled down for a second, but then her face went back to normal. She nodded. "All right…"

I looked at her askance as we left the inn and began southeast. I took my pen and notebook out of my bag and began to sketch out a purple, wolf-like creature on its hind legs that wore an odd red cloth. "I think that's a bewarewolf," Opal said. "Or…scarewolf? I don't remember exactly. They don't come around Bloomingdale much."

It was a wonderful morning. Though both of my hands were occupied by my drawing materials, Connor kept an arm around my waist. Sydney seemed a bit distracted, looking off into the distance. Opal was grinning broadly- as always- and flitting around the path, looking at everything.

About that time, one of the beware-scare-wolves- not the one I was drawing- decided to rush us. I slammed my notebook shut and shoved my things into my bag, and we readied ourselves to battle.

Opal cast Crackle, ripping into monster's underside. Sydney broke from her distraction to crack it over the head with her staff. Then it raced forward after Connor. Before he could dodge, it sliced into his arm. He clenched his teeth, and then I raced for the monster and slashed it.

Connor punched it in the gut, and it roared. Opal leapt forward and stabbed it in the arm. Sydney let the wind rip out of her staff, and the monster swiped at her front. Fortunately for her, it only caught part of her robe.

I sliced at its chest, and it stumbled backwards. Before anyone else could attack, it fell and dissolved into purple dust, which was blown away by the sea breeze.

I folded my fan up and stuck it back in my belt. "That was…fun," I said. "That's what you think," Connor said, sticking out his tongue. I had to laugh as I pulled out a medicinal herb and pressed it to the wound on his arm. He sighed, rolling his shoulder. "Thanks, Zera."

"No trouble," I said, dropping the spent herb to the ground. It would produce a new herb soon enough. I took Connor's hand as we proceeded along the path to Dourbridge.

As the town came into sight, Sydney's steps began flagging. I turned to look. "What is the matter?"

Sydney was fingering the rosary tied around her staff. "I, erm…well, Dourbridge isn't a really good town," she said. "I was thinking, perhaps it would be a good idea if we avoided it. I mean, it's populated by people who were thieves and on the run from the law…maybe it would be safer if we stayed out."

My brows drew together. "Syd, we can take care of ourselves!" Opal said. "We'll be fine. What are you so worried about?"

Sydney shifted uncomfortably. "I'm just saying, it's not a safe place. Some of the people were, you know, murderers and things, and…"

"That is not the problem," I said, narrowing my eyes. Sydney's courage was not brazen, but it was very solid. It would take more than a town of people avoiding the law to frighten her away. "Why do you not wish to enter Dourbridge, Sydney?"

She sighed and looked down. "I suppose you all ought to know," she murmured. Her fingering of her rosary increased rapidly.

"You see, I used to live there. I'm from Dourbridge."

* * *

><p>So, here's Chapter Eight, where the few oddities about Sydney are explained and revealed: her hesitation when she said her hometown, her reluctance to go to Dourbridge. She was from there!<p>

Why is that? Well, I know, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait for the next chapter. Until then, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	9. Chapter 9

_"You see, I used to live there. I'm from Dourbridge."_

* * *

><p>The single moment of silence following this statement was broken by Opal, naturally.<p>

"You _what_!"

"I'm from Dourbridge," Sydney said again. She did not look up from the grass at her feet. "Not originally, technically, but I'm from there all the same."

"But you said that everyone who lives there is on the run from the law," Connor said. Sydney nodded as much as she could without raising her head. She did not seem to wish to look at us…or was it to have us look at her?

"Yes," Sydney said. "I don't remember where I lived when I was younger. My mam and dad died when I was about three- I barely remember them. I grew up having to steal. But I got into a lot of trouble, so I ran to Dourbridge. I lived there until I was thirteen."

I remembered what she had told us our first afternoon in Stornway: _"I studied staff fighting and theology there for a few years," _referring to Swinedimples Academy. "And that is when you went to Swinedimples."

"Yeah," she said. "I was lucky to get out. Most people who go to Dourbridge end up there for the rest of their lives. Father Peter, the priest there, led me to the Almighty, and I decided that I wanted to help people the way he helped me." She chuckled slightly, and I saw her cheek lift. "He's also the reason I've never had a mug of ale in my life."

I was curious about that, but I decided not to ask.

"But that doesn't mean you can't go back!" Opal said. "I mean, nobody's gonna get stuck there now. We're hunting fyggs, remember? And besides, maybe it'll be nice to see a place you lived for…how long?"

"Nine years."

"You had friends there, right?" Connor asked. Sydney looked up. "Not really, except for Father Peter. I knew a few people, but everyone there was a lot older than me."

I understood. Sydney's relationships in Dourbridge were much like mine in the Observatory- few friends, but for one who taught her. I touched her lightly on the arm, and she did not pull away.

"Do not worry," I said. "We shall simply pass through- although no doubt we will have to stop to go shopping." I smiled and looked briefly to Opal, who stuck out her tongue. Sydney smiled as well. "I suppose it wouldn't do any harm," she said. "And there is something that I'd like to take care of while we're there."

"It's settled, then!" cheered Opal. "Let's go!"

So we began again to Dourbridge.

My first impression of the town was one of griminess. It seemed that most every surface visible had a layer of dirt over it. Chimneys exhaled a deep black smoke that covered the dirt with a layer of smoke grime. The sluggish river that moved through the centre was muddy brown, with litter and waste floating slowly downstream. I could not comprehend why someone would choose to be there their whole life, and I understood why Sydney had left. This town was depressing.

"I suppose the first stop would be the store," Sydney said, looking at Opal. Her pigtails bounced as she nodded. "Which way?"

"Follow me," Sydney said, turning to the left and heading north along the path. When we turned right, I saw a greying man who looked rather drunk standing there and clutching his head. "Oh…" he groaned. "Selling my priestly effects for drink money… I might as well have sold my very soul… O Almighty One! Forgive me, for I have sinned!" Then he hiccoughed loudly.

To my surprise, Sydney looked excited. "Father Peter!" she said quietly. The man looked up and peered at her blearily for a moment. "…Sydney?" he asked. "What are you doing back in this Almighty-forsaken hole of a town?"

"I'm helping my friends search for something," Sydney replied, gesturing to us. Father Peter peered at us now. "Ah," he said. "Good to meet you," and he hiccoughed again.

"Erm…" I said, looking around at everyone else. "It is, erm, good to meet you too."

"I finished my studies," Sydney told Father Peter. "At Swinedimples." Peter smiled. "That's good to hear, my dear." A bird passed over us then, chirping loudly, and Peter put a hand to his head.

"Perhaps you ought to go to sleep," I suggested. Peter swayed, and then nodded. "It was good to see you, Sydney," he said. "Good to see you, too, Father Peter," Sydney said, and Peter stumbled off.

After a moment, Connor said, "…And that's why you've never had ale."

Sydney laughed. "Yeah," she said as we began heading east and down a set of stairs. "He's been struggling with that as long as I can remember. Although, for a few months before I left it seemed to be getting better…" She shrugged.

Sydney led us around a man in a straw hat who was lying on the ground. I looked at him but Sydney said, "Don't worry about him. He's always there."

A few metres beyond the man was a counter. Behind it was a man in yellow armour and a fair numbers of weapons and types of armour. "Hullo, Jenkins," Sydney said, and I was a little surprised by her voice. Her accent was a touch rougher; perhaps she was falling back into the habits she had had as a child here?

"Sydney!" exclaimed the man, seeming oddly genial for such a bulky man. "It's good to see ya back! Who're your friends, eh?"

Sydney introduced us, and then said, "We were hopin' to look through your wares." She peered around Jenkins, and her eyes widened. "Is that a Stolos' staff?"

"Aye," said Jenkins, grinning. "I s'pose you want to do your fightin' with a staff now, eh? More's the pity. You were hell with a pair o' claws!"

My eyes widened. "Claws?" I asked. Sydney grinned. "Yeah. I used to go outside town and train against the monsters out there. Made mincemeat out of 'em, I did!"

"And out o' me," said Jenkins. "Syd here woulda been able to kill me if she'd been fightin' for a reason."

Sydney tossed her head and laughed. "I always fight for a reason, Jenkins," she said. "You ought to remember that!"

Watching the exchange, I was amazed. Who would have suspected that quiet, caring Sydney was all of this? Former thief, resident of Dourbridge, rough around the edges and a claw-wielder. It was almost impossible to reconcile with all that I had already known about her.

Eventually, we began to peruse Jenkins's wares. I found a blue, silver-handled fan with lighter blue patterns along the slats. It was a Foehn fan, one that would fire air in battle. I was hooked.

Sydney purchased the Stolos' staff that she had been interested, though all of us urged her to try the pair of sacred claws that Jenkins had in stock. She also bought a knee-length denim skirt. Again, Opal bought nothing. Connor did not buy anything, either.

We paid Jenkins, and Sydney changed into her denim skirt behind a small screen. We sold him my war fan, Sydney's spiky staff, and her old skirt. "'Bye, Jenkins," Sydney said, and then we headed back up the stairs. "There's one more person I want to see," she told us as we started across the bridge. "I've been collecting these-"

She broke off as we reached about halfway across the bridge, looking ahead. I looked, took, and my eyes widened. The transparent figure of a girl in a hooded cloak had materialised. She was staring north, so I could only see her in profile, and her hood was up, but I recognised her immediately. It was the girl who had appeared in the clearing by the Starflight!

"No…" she murmured sadly. "Not here, either." She turned then, and saw us. Her eyes widened as they landed on me. "Huh? S-Surely…" She walked- nearly jogged- up and peered into my face. I was frozen, unable to look away from the girl's curious face. There was a long pause while she looked at me.

"No…" she said, shaking her head. "No, it can't be…" She turned and walked west. As she did, I heard her say, "What am I thinking, mistaking a traveller for a Celestrian like that…?"

We all turned to look at her. She dematerialised as we watched.

It was silent for a long moment. Then, Stella said, "Haven't I seen that fashion abomination somewhere before?"

I looked at her, ready to give her a tongue-lashing, but before I could get the words together, Stella shrugged and said, "Oh well. Never mind. You've got fyggs to be finding, right? Well, let's hope your search is fruitful! Ha!"

I shook my head. Stella's wit was less than stellar, I reflected, as we began walking back across the bridge. Sydney led us down a ladder near the end of the bridge, and we walked north and up a set of stairs leading northwest. A large, mauve-and-peach striped tent stood before us.

"Come on," Sydney said. She headed into the tent, and we followed.

The interior of the tent looked like the treasure chamber of Stornway. Gold and gems stood heaped about the room, red treasure chests dotted the floor, and the very smell spoke of riches. Ahead of us, on a wooden platform, a large man with an odd hat stood facing away from us, towards the largest pile in the room. It seemed almost entirely made up of round golden coins.

Sydney strode up the platform and spoke. "Hullo there, Cap'n Max!" she said, and the man turned. There was a patch on his left eye, but I saw the other light up as he saw Sydney. "Ahoy there, m'dear!" he exclaimed, clapping her into what must have been a bone-breaking hug. "Where've ye been all these years?"

"Swinedimples Academy," Sydney told him. "And findin' mini medals for you. Here, I've been collectin' 'em!" She reached into her bag and pulled out a fistful of the round coins- mini medals. Max held out his hand, and Sydney dropped the medals into his large palm. "Arrr, just look at that gleam!" he exclaimed, examining them. "Like miniature suns, they are!"

He clapped Sydney on the shoulder with his free hand. "Thank 'ee kindly!" he said. Then he turned, poured his new medals onto the pile, and picked up something else. When he turned back, I realised that it was a thief's key- one made to open any lock, so long as it was not too complex. Something like that could be useful.

Max handed the key to Sydney, saying, "I suppose ye'll be off now. Good luck, me hearty!"

Sydney thanked him, and we left.

"He was…uh, interesting," Connor said. "Very exuberant," I said, nodding. Sydney smiled. "He's always been that way," she said. "Loves those medals, does Max!"

As it was now after eleven thirty, I suggested that we have lunch. "I know a place," Sydney said. Reluctant as I was to eat anything in the grimy city, I was hungry, and I wanted more than just the bread and fruits in Sydney's bag. They were good, but I had felt hungrier of late. I needed protein.

Sydney led us back under the bridge and across a set of stepping-stones to the west. She then turned into a small hut that stood against the side of the bridge. Connor, Opal and I followed her inside.

It was surprisingly light in there, and clean. A man dressed in white and wearing a chef's hat stood behind a fire, cooking something that smelled wonderful. He looked up as we entered.

"Sydney!" he exclaimed. "It is good to see you, my dear. Have you come because of hunger?"

"Yes," Sydney replied. "My friends and I." She looked at us. "Everyone, this is Petero. He used to be the head chef of the palace of Gleeba."

"Gleeba?" Connor asked. "That's a long way away, isn't it? In the desert."

Petero nodded. "Come!" he said then, gesturing to us. "I have finished the stew. Let us fill your stomachs!"

So we enjoyed a hearty meat stew. Petero declined telling us what was in it, which I rather appreciated. I did not imagine that it would be fine cuts of beef, after all. But despite the mystery of the meat, it was every bit as delicious as its scent had promised, and the meal was a cheerful one.

As we began helping Petero clean up, I asked, "Would you have any knowledge of a shining, golden fruit? We are searching for it, you see, and we believe it may be here."

"A golden fruit…" Petero mused. "Yes, I believe I have heard of such a thing. There is a man in the north-eastern corner of town who had a fruit like you have described. I remember, for he refused to give it to me so I could cook with it."

_And a good thing as well, _I thought, remembering the Abbot and Lleviathan. I simply hoped that this man had not chosen to eat it himself. I did not have any desire to face one of Dourbridge's ruffians when he had eaten one of the fyggs.

"Thanks for the stew, Petero," said Opal as we left. "It was delicious!" She had eaten three bowlfuls of it. Petero smiled and told us we were welcome as we walked out the door.

The door to the north-eastern house was not locked, and Sydney (who had once again taken the lead) did not knock. She merely pushed the door open. A large man wearing a yellow mask stood before a fire, talking to himself.

"'Oo'd've thought I'd sell that shinin' fruit for such big money, eh? An' it only cost me a pair of leather shoes! He he he!"

"Hullo," Sydney said. "What's this about a shinin' fruit? We were lookin' for one, you see."

The man turned, not seeming very surprised about four young strangers being in his house. "Eh? You're after one an' all, are ya? 'Fraid I sold it to that bloke 'oo lives at the bottom o' that mountain, Zere Rocks. If you wanna go after it, just cross the bridge an' follow the road east. 'Ave a gander at the signs an' you should be fine."

"Thank you," I said, and we left. As we did so, I heard him mutter, "I wonder what made the old feller pay so much for it, though, eh?"

"Zere Rocks…" I mused. "It sounds familiar somehow."

Sydney nodded. After a moment of walking, Opal snapped her fingers. "I've got it!" she exclaimed. "Zere, where those two women sang the Right Knight ditty!"

"Of course!" cried Connor. I smacked my forehead. "One would think I would have remembered that," I said to my palm. Connor laughed and moved my hand away from my face. "None of us remembered it right away, either," he reminded me. "I know," I replied, shrugging. "But it sounds so much like my name- I ought to have thought of it!"

Connor shook his head, smiling, and we continued on.

We travelled back to the ladder on the bridge, climbed it, and headed east. It was a very short time before we were out of Dourbridge and back in the bright light of midday. It had most likely been just as bright in Dourbridge, but it was too dingy for the sun to be of any use.

All of us looked at Sydney then, and she looked back at us, seeming self-conscious. "What?" she asked. "Wow!" burst Opal. "Claws? Mincemeat? Sydney, you're amazing! Why didn't you tell us about that?"

"I didn't want to," Sydney replied, shrugging. "Never did. No one at Swinedimples knew where I came from, nor did anyone in Stornway. Dourbridge is part of my past now, and I don't want it in my present."

"You seemed to take it in your stride," I observed. Sydney's cheeks went slightly pink. "Yeah, well, you don't forget old habits," she said. "Be talkin' like this for days, I will, unless I try to control it."

She sighed. "Although I do miss how free you are there sometimes. Nobody asks you where you're goin', what you intend to do. Left to your own devices, you are, really." But then she shook her head. "All the same, I wouldn't want to live there again."

After several moments of walking in silence, Opal asked, "So, Zere Rock's a ways away to the south. It's really closer to Bloomindale than Dourbridge."

Sydney pulled out her map. "You're right," she said, and we all looked, "if you take the paths. If you crossed that little river there-" she pointed- "I think it'd be shorter."

Seeing us looking at her, she said, "It wasn't a suggestion. I was just saying."

I shrugged and reached for Connor's hand. We would be walking for a while, to judge by the map. Small, puffy clouds were slowly meandering across the sky. There was a light breeze coming over the sea to the west, and the sun was warm. Some small part of my mind said that there was bound to be bad weather soon, after all this sunshine, but I ignored it. Connor and I swung our hands back and forth slightly as we walked. The peace was perfect. I knew Opal and Sydney were there, but it almost seemed as though they weren't- they were giving us space to ourselves. I appreciated it.

Connor and I talked as we walked. It seemed that we spoke of everything- monsters, his sensei in Stornway, Aquila, books we each had read (few enough in common, yet still interesting), how people could be so different than you believed. There was so much more, but to recount it all would take the lifetime of the most ancient of Celestrians.

It was two hours before we reached a clearing at the foot of a large mountain. A small wooden cabin stood to the eastern side. Bits of statuary, wood, and stumps stood scattered about.

I led the way up to the door of the cabin and knocked. There was no response. With that, a powerful feeling of déjà vu came over me- this clearing could have been the street of Coffinwell on which Catarrhina's and Phlegming's cottage stood. With a feeling of dread in my stomach, I pushed open the door and we stepped inside.

The furnishings were sparse. Looking about the room, I saw no personal effects but for a book lying open on a small desk. I crossed to it. The pages were handwritten, and an inkwell stood next to it. The book was a journal.

I did not wish to pry, but I felt compelled to read. We needed to find Mason, and this journal could provide a clue. Aware of the others peering over my shoulders (and around them, in Opal's case), I began to read aloud.

"'It was an eternity ago. I told my poor sweetheart I'd be back in five years, and then set off on my travels. All I cared about was learning to work stone. Five years passed in the blink of an eye, but I barely noticed. When I finally made it back home, it was to find out that she'd gone and married another man. Och, that was an eternity ago, though. I'm an old man now. That was back in my younger days. I'm heading north to Zere Rocks. It won't be long now till it's all over. I doubt I'll be back at this hut again.'"

I caught the date at the top of the entry. It was that of the previous day. I looked up from the journal and to my companions. "Perhaps he is up there."

Sydney nodded slightly. "Maybe." She looked down at the page, and gave a small sigh. "What do you say we go check?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Opal cheered. "Come on, let's go!"

We followed her as she raced out the door and headed up the path to the north. I felt walled in along that path- tall trees hemmed us to the east and west, and to the north the mountain loomed. Though the sun was bright in the blue sky above, I felt as though I was trapped.

Passing through a dark entrance, we entered a stone cave. Water fell in a steady stream from a hole in the ceiling to a pool in the ground. The floor curved up and around steadily to the right, and a steep cliff stood to the left. A ladder led up its side, but the small ledge dead-ended at a second cliff.

We took the right path, as it led up to an opening that let light into the cave. I moved closer to Connor. The cave was creepy.

As we reached the level stone before the opening, a chill ran up my spine and I turned. My eyes widened. "Behind you, Opal!" I exclaimed, seeing the toxic zombie that was stumbling rapidly towards her.

Opal whipped about, brandishing her knife. Before it could react, she stabbed it in the gut, but it took no notice.

I sliced at it with my fan, catching its right hand and cutting it off at the wrist. Again, it took no notice. Zombies had no feeling whatsoever- a useful thing for it, but incredibly annoying for us. It would not stumble or be hindered by any wounds we could deal it aside from fatal ones.

Connor's punch sent it sprawling, and I noticed as it got up I noticed that part of its rib cage seemed crushed inwards. Though it could not feel pain, it was rotted and its body would be weaker than normal. Perhaps we could use that to our advantage…

The zombie lumbered forward and scratched me down the arm. "Augh!" I cried, instinctively clapping my hand to the cut. It burned like fire. The toxic zombie seemed to have gotten its name for a reason!

I waved Sydney away when she attempted to heal me. "The zombie," I said. The cave was beginning to look strange; colours were blurred and everything seemed to be spinning. I managed to retrieve an antidotal herb from my bag and crush it over my scratch. As the juice dribbled into the cut, the fire seemed to increase, and I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. But then the pain eased, and I sighed as the cave returned to normal.

I looked up to find that the battle had progressed. There was a second dent in the zombie's rib cage, one that looked like it had been caused by a staff. It also had a deep slice low in its stomach. It seemed that Opal had not managed to hit any vital organs.

Connor hurled a fistful of rocks at the zombie. My breath caught as the rocks all pummelled it in almost the same spot on the upper left side of the zombie's chest. It stumbled back, tottered for a moment, and fell over. It crumbled into dust as we watched.

"Are you alright?" Connor asked then, moving over to me. I nodded. "I had an antidotal herb in my bag. I am fine now."

"Good," he said, smiling. "I wouldn't want you to be poisoned."

I smiled, and we moved through the entrance, continuing up Zere Rocks.

The trek was difficult, involving climbing up vines and, at two points, balancing while running across them. Finally, we reached the top of a large staircase.

I stared in amazement. Sydney gasped. "Wow!" Opal breathed. Connor said nothing, but I saw him looking around, as amazed as the rest of us.

There, on the top of the mountain, was a perfect reproduction of Zere- made completely of stone. Statues of people stood at points throughout the town- a young woman near the tree, a little boy frozen in a running pose near the stairs where I had sung the Right Knight ditty.

Slowly, we began moving through the town. Every last detail of the town was perfect- a cat wandering around, leaves on the ground and the tree, the expressions upon the statue people's faces. It must have taken an immense amount of painstaking effort to carve this out.

When we reached the space in front of what would have been Alanna and Petra's house, I realised that there was no door where it ought to have been- where it had been in the other houses and in the church. There was nothing but an opening, and I could see that there was something inside.

As we entered, Stella said, "No way, this one's even got all the insides carved out properly as well… What's the deal with this place? Someone's left no stone unturned in turning everything to stone…" With that, she looked to me. "Hang on, Zera… I'm having a backflash… Haven't we seen all this somewhere? We went somewhere like this a while back. Somewhere with a gimongous tree bang-slap in the middle of town…"

I did not get a chance to remind her of Zere. At that moment, Opal gasped and pointed a small chocolate hand at something. Following her finger, I saw a little slime staring at us. It made a slurping sound. Then, to my shock, it spoke in a voice that sounded full of sloshing water.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" it asked. I couldn't quite make myself speak, but it seemed Sydney could. "We're lookin' for Mason," she told the slime. Its eyes widened, and it seemed to smile. "Ooh! Every singoo rock here was carved by Mr Mason, you know. He did it all on his own. He really stretched himself! It took him years and years to make this village, and then just when he's finished it, he dropped down dead. What a way to goo!"

Thinking about the village and the effort it must have taken, I believed I could understand why. Much of Mason's life must have been taken up by the carving of Zere Rocks. Once it was finished, I could not imagine that he had anything left to live for.

"He was a very frugal man," continued the slime. "But in the end he indulged in a gootiful fruit that he'd slupchased in Dourbridge. It was his one extravagoonce ever. Do you know what he told me as he ate it?"

As he spoke, I reflected how talkative the slime was, when by all rights it ought not be able to speak at all. It was a bit of a paradox.

"He said this place was all he had. So it was his wish that it would always remain and never goo squishy. But ever since he gave up the goost, there's-"

It was cut off by a powerful jolt in the ground, propelling all of us into the air. I stumbled as we hit the ground and cried out as my left ankle twisted the wrong way. Connor helped me up as the slime said, "Th-There it is agoon! I-I've been hearing that petrifying noise ever since!"

It hopped away rapidly to hide in a corner. We raced outside, me leaning slightly on Connor.

"Ah!" yelled Stella. In my opinion, "ah" summed up what stood before us. A stone gargoyle, at least seven feet tall, loomed before us. It had poisonous yellow eyes without pupils or whites.

"Who…are…YOU?" it bellowed, seeming to have difficulty speaking. Its voice was dry and cracked, as though it could have used a long drink of water. "You…are…not…Mason… Intruders!"

Its eyes flashed, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Stella flee behind the house.

"You….will…know….the…wrath…of…Garth…Goyle,….Guardian…of…the…Rocks…!"

It began to lumber forwards, straight towards us. I put my weight back on my injured side as Connor did his interesting wind attack. Garth Goyle seemed almost unfazed by the wind, but it was blown back a pace.

Opal cast Crackle. The icicle broke against the underside of its stone body, but it seemed to damage it all the same. I, too, cast Crackle, uncertain if my ankle would hold my weight in a forward rush.

Garth Goyle jumped up and hit the ground with a heavy crash. I fell over, in the resulting vibration, and I imagined that this would be what an earthquake felt like. As Connor pulled me back up, Garth Goyle cast a spell that I recognised from a book as being Kabuff, a spell to raise defence.

Sydney came over to me and held her hand over my twisted ankle. "Thank you," I sighed, feeling the pain ease. I put my weight on my now non-injured foot and faced the battle, feeling more confident now that I was whole.

Connor picked up a handful of carved rock-leaves and pebbles and hurled them at Garth Goyle. They slightly chipped the stone of its chest, but seemed to cause it little damage. I reflected that a martial artist's skills could not be of much use against something which would break any hand or foot that attempted to harm it. But I noticed that as the rocks left his hand, a smile crossed his face and he stood slightly straighter- though he stood straight ordinarily.

Opal cast Bang, and as soon as the air about the monster regained its normal form, I raced forward and slashed at its chest with my fan. I made a face at the metal-on-stone scrape the attack produced, but my fan seemed to have caused a fair amount of damage. It appeared that Garth Goyle's stone skin was not quite as hard as I had imagined.

Garth Goyle lumbered forward and swiped at Opal with its stone claws. She raised her shield, and there was another scraping sound as the claws grated against the surface. Then the monster turned and attempted to stomp on Sydney. It missed by only a hair's width, and only because Sydney ducked and rolled, leaving her staff on the ground.

She scrambled after the staff and then whacked Garth Goyle on one of his stone wings. It seemed they were very brittle- part of the wing fractured as Sydney's staff hit it.

Connor gave a powerful war cry, and Garth Goyle froze. Recalling the previous time he had done so, I decided that this must have been his coup de grâce, and I decided to christen it War Cry.

Opal did not cast a spell this time. Rather, she raced for the paralysed Garth Goyle and half-leapt, half-scrambled up it to shove her knife into the roof of its open mouth. The knife sank in up to its hilt, and I realised that the inside of its mouth was not made of stone. Opal leapt off- we helped to catch and steady her when she reached the ground so that she would not harm herself- and Garth Goyle made a strange gurgling-choking noise. It fell onto its knees, no longer paralysed, and spoke faintly.

"St…St…Stone…me…!"

With that, it faded away into black mist.

I looked to Opal in amazement. "How were you able to climb like that?" I asked. Opal beamed. "I'm little," she said. "It's an advantage! Besides, don't act as though it's nothing you wouldn't be able to do. You might not really be a minstrel, but I haven't forgotten the gymnastics you did in Stornway!"

I smiled. "But it would have taken me much longer. You found handholds exceptionally fast."

"Huh?" came Stella's voice from around the side of the house. We turned to see her fluttering towards us. "What the flap was that…? It didn't half give me the woollies! I'm all itchy now."

She turned to look at me, and her eyes widened. I followed her gaze to see the ghost of an old man standing at the top of a flight of stone stairs that led down into the earth. As the others turned to look at him as well, he began down the stairs. "Hey, Zera!" Stella said. "D'you think that old man was…?"

"Mason," I said, looking back to the others. "Let us follow him down!"

We hurried down the stairs after the ghost. At the end of a short wide corridor, he stood behind what looked like a tomb. He seemed to be waiting for us.

"I owe you an apology, lad and lassies," he said when we reached him. "Looks like that guardian fellow appeared when I ate that funny fruit and made a wish for my work to be kept safe. But that wasn't what I meant by keeping it safe at all… Anyway, thank you. Now my little friend can relax again at last." He must have been talking about the slime, I decided as he began glowing.

"I couldn't go back there, so I recreated my beautiful, lost hometown here in Zere Rocks. This place is just a replica, you see. The dream of an old fool who hoped he could bring back his lost love. Now, Petra, lass…" My eyes widened. _Petra!_ "Now I can come home to you at last… To my hometown of Zere."

The glow about him increased to an unbearable brightness. I shielded my eyes, and then the glow vanished. A fygg lay on the stone tomb, glowing gently. It floated to me, and I put out my hands to receive it.

In silence, we returned to the surface.

"Of course!" burst Stella when we reached the top of the stairs. "This village is the splitting image of that Zere place where we heard the song about the Wight Knight. So Zere was Mason's hometown, and he spent years sweating blood, sweat, and tears to build this replica of the place… Well, it all…makes sense now…"

She crossed her arms. "No it doesn't! How the flap was that supposed to win his girlfriend back? I really don't get mortals. Out of their trolleys, the lot of them, if you ask me."

I shook my head, but I did not say anything. Arguing with Stella was pointless. But I could understand Mason's state of mind. His love was lost, and so he put himself into an attempt to recreate what he now could never have. Sighing, I looked to the others. "Shall we return to Dourbridge?"

Sydney looked up at the sky, then pulled out her map. "It's not yet three thirty," she said. "We could easily make it to Bloomingdale before supper."

Opal's face lit up. "Let's do that!" she cried. I smiled. "I suppose that is a good idea," I said. "But first…do you think there is any chance that there are any stone toilets here?"

Connor laughed. "What's so funny?" asked Opal. "None of us have had a chance to go since we left Dourbridge. If Zera hadn't brought it up, I would have!"

To my surprise, there was indeed a toilet in a secluded spot behind the stone inn. When it was my turn to advantage of it, I received a second surprise: I had stopped menstruating. But when I thought about it, it could not have lasted forever; eventually, my body would have run out of blood. Perhaps it ran in cycles.

Shaking my head, I finished with the toilet and joined the others in front of the inn. Then we turned and began our journey towards Bloomingdale.

We reached Bloomingdale nearly three hours later, when the sun was beginning to fall low over the sea. I could see gulls circling over the streets, calling to one another. Waves crashed a small distance away.

Opal was smiling widely- nothing new, but this time it was for more reason than her sunny disposition. Bloomingdale was her home, after all.

"I can't wait to introduce you all to Miss Sally!" she said. "She's really nice, and you're really gonna like her, I know it! She raised me after Mom and Dad died, and she's like your favourite aunt. Come on, follow me!"

She raced through the streets of town. We followed her as best we could, past a large inn, a mansion, a shop. Opal didn't even look towards the shop, intent as she was on finding Miss Sally.

Finally, she stopped in front of a small house and turned to look at us, beaming. "Here we are," she said. Then she knocked on the door.

It was opened by a young woman dressed almost entirely in black. She had a black bandanna covering most of her vividly red hair. "Opal," she said in obvious surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Opal seemed confused. "Liza?" she asked. "Wh…Why are you at Miss Sally's house? Did something happen?"

Sadness crossed Liza's face. "You don't know," she said. "Of course you don't know. How could you have?"

"Know what?" asked Opal, concern growing on her face. "Liza, what's wrong? Why are you so sad-looking?"

Liza reached a hand out and laid it on Opal's forearm. "Opal…Miss Sally isn't here anymore. She passed away last week."

And Opal's little chocolate face crumpled.

* * *

><p>Hi again, everyone! I'm so sorry I took so long to upload this chaper; I really didn't mean to. But, well, I guess it's here now.<p>

Thank you so much for the reviews. It was amazing to see them, and a real confidence booster! Thanks a whole ton.

So until next time (hopefully not so far off...), may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you.


	10. Chapter 10

_Liza reached a hand out and laid it on Opal's forearm. "Opal…Miss Sally isn't here anymore. She passed away last week."_

_And Opal's little chocolate face crumpled. _

* * *

><p>We were ushered inside Miss Sally's cottage. It seemed that a memorial ceremony was in progress, and every surface inside was draped in black cloth, including the people. I felt as though my companions and I were a rainbow dropped into the midst of a dark thunderhead.<p>

Needless to say, Opal was not a cheerful part of our rainbow.

She sat in a more secluded area of the cottage, crying, as the three of us attempted to comfort her. But as I had learned in Coffinwell after the demise of Connor's relatives, it was not easy to offer comfort in death. And Miss Sally, it seemed, was much closer to her than Connor's relatives had been to him. From the few moments Opal was coherent, she spoke of Miss Sally mothering, raising, and teaching her for the nearly five years since her parents had passed. And now this mother figure was gone, as well.

With the assistance of Liza and several others who were attending the service, we managed to coax the usually ever-hungry Opal to eat a morsel of bread. It did not take long for us to give up trying any more, for she clearly wished to be left alone. So Connor, Sydney, and I stood awkwardly to the side, feeling distinctly out of place. The gloom in the cottage almost overwhelmed me, even with Connor holding me as close as was appropriate. I held him, too, and with one hand I held Sydney's left. I felt a need to protect them. It was strange, given they were both just as capable as me- likely more capable in Connor's case- but it was there all the same. Could I have, I would have protected Opal, as well, but she had retreated within herself.

So we stood.

At one point, people were asked to make speeches in Miss Sally's honour. To my immense surprise, Opal rose from her chair before anyone else and walked to the front of the room.

"Miss Sally was more than a teacher to me," she said to all of us. "After my parents died, she became a mum and a dad, a mentor and a friend. And I am so sorry that she's gone. There was so much I wanted to tell her- how much she meant to me, about the adventure that I came to when I finished my training with her. I wanted her to meet the friends I made along the way, and I wanted them to meet her. 'Cause if there's one thing everyone agreed on about Miss Sally, it's that she was just about…just about the n-nicest person you could ever meet." She swallowed then, and I saw another tear slide out of her violet eye. "I'm gonna miss her a lot until we meet again."

Without any further words, without a second glance at the audience, she left the cottage. I looked at Connor and Sydney, and without speaking we began to move towards the door.

We had to search for a while before we found Opal. She was sitting on the ground by the harbour, staring out at the ocean. She was shaking, and I saw the tracks of tears making glimmering paths down her cheeks.

"She's out there, you know," Opal said without turning around. "In the ocean. She always said…she wanted to be buried at sea." She sniffled once, and Sydney moved to sit next to her. Without speaking, she put an arm around Opal's small, thin shoulders.

Connor and I joined her. And there the four of us sat, huddled together by the sea. The sun was dipping down into the water, staining it orange and red. The clouds above were pinkish. A few gulls flew overhead, calling to one another. I felt around for a rock to drive them away, to give Opal peace, but she shook her head. "Don't," she told me. "I like them."

We sat there together for a long time, until the sun sank below the waves and the stars came out. Desperate to break the melancholy silence that had hung over us since Liza had said that Miss Sally was dead, I pointed up to them.

"Celestrian lore tells us that each of these stars is one of our race that has passed on to the next realm," I said. Three faces turn towards me as I continue speaking. "Each star is unique, representing the being that once it was. That one-" I point to a large, reddish-gold star that sits low on the horizon- "is named Musca. She was a warrior who protected the kingdom of Gleeba when the desert monsters threatened to overwhelm it, millennia ago. In destroying the threat, she gave her life for those she protected."

I pointed to a bright blue star that stood watch over the whole sky from its position in the centre. "That one there is Scutum, shield of the Protectorate. He was among the first to take up the burden of Guardianship, and so he carried much of the burden before others joined him. He was in the front ranks of the war against the ancient evil whose name has become lost to time, and he was a great fighter. He survived the war, and became a true hero."

A plain yellow-white but unusually bright star in the northwest was the next for me to point at. "Pyxis, there, was a guide to the first mortals to sail the seas. He showed them how to navigate by those stars that already stood in the skies.

"Lyra, the blue star in the south, brought music to the mortals with her harp. The other Celestrians thought it to be pointless, that the mortals did not have time for the beautiful sounds music created, but Lyra brought it anyway, and though Celestrians ceased creating their melodies centuries ago, the mortals continue still."

I stopped there. Those stories were the only ones I recalled fully and clearly, and I did not wish to mangle the centuries-old tales.

Connor squeezed my shoulders gently. "You're an excellent storyteller," he told me. "Were they true?"

I nodded. "Apus Major, the most senior of our race that still lives, has memories of Pyxis. And Lyra's melodies are still sung by Celestrians and mortals alike."

"Could you sing one?" asked Opal quietly.

I thought for a moment, then smiled. "Certainly," I said. Lyra's melodies were different from other songs Celestrians composed about the Almighty; they referred to Him as Father and one who loved rather than a jealous being that held sins against you. I had always much preferred her songs to the others.

_"When the dark closes in and the sadness seems deeper than the sea,_

_"When the danger is high, monsters of the night chase after me, _

_"I shall not fear,_

_"For He is near._

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Always He watches over me!_

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Safe He shall always keep me._

_"He loves me, my Father, with a love that none but He can comprehend, _

_"By His powerful love He shall keep me safe without end._

_"In my sorrows He comforts, _

_"In my sadness he heals._

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Always He watches over me!_

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Safe He shall always keep me._

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Always He watches over me!_

_"My Father, my protector, _

_"Safe He shall always keep me."_

When my voice faded to silence, no one broke it for several long moments. Connor pulled me slightly closer, and I smiled as I leaned a little into him. He had a nice smell, I decided. What it was I could not identify, but it was nice.

"Thank you," said Opal after a long time. Her voice was surprisingly steady. "I think that's just what I needed." She pushed herself up slightly and smiled at me. "I'm gonna be okay, I think. After all, Miss Sally's at peace, and I'm gonna see her again someday. And until then, I've got my friends, right?"

"Right," the three of us chorused. Opal's smile grew a little, slowly returning to its usual beaming strength. "Let's go to an inn," she said, rising. "There's a good one near here called The Flowery Beds."

_Lyra's song played in my head as Connor and I walked through a meadow of sweet-smelling flowers, holding hands. The day was glorious- cloudless, warm. Birds sang as they flew overhead. _

_Then, as Connor stooped down to pick one of the flowers, I realised that his garb was white as snow. I recognised it from weddings I had seen while guarding Angel Falls. I looked down to myself and saw that I was wearing a long, sleeveless white dress. It fell to my feet in such a manner that I did not have to think about holding it up to be able to walk. I could feel that I was barefoot, as was Connor._

_My cheeks warmed as I realised what it meant. _

_Connor smiled as he came up with his flower. "You look beautiful," he told me. I had to smile. "Thank you," I said. "You are…very handsome." Connor laughed and gave me the flower. "I am serious," I said, putting my face to the flower to smell it. _

_A flower-wrapped arch stood ahead of us._

_As we walked towards it, I placed the flower in a small hole in Connor's shirt. It fit perfectly, a splash of red against the white. _

_My eyes drifted to his face, and the smile that had occupied my face disappeared in a sudden wave of horror. Connor's hair had gone as stark white as his clothing. His face was creasing in wrinkles even as I watched. _

_"No," I whispered, unable to speak any louder. Connor began to slow, stumble. I stopped to keep him from falling. The skin of his hands was growing paper-thin, liver-spotted. _

_Connor's breath was coming hard. I helped him over to a small pond that was near us and sat him down. Cupping my hands, I dipped them into the water to get him a drink. But I could see our reflections in the pool, and I recoiled. Each moment, Connor grew older, but my reflection remained exactly the same. The skin around my red eyes did not wrinkle, the hair held back by my headband did not thin._

_Breathing quickly, I turned to Connor. Some part of my mind prayed that his rapid aging was naught but a trick of the pool, but it was not. _

_"Connor!" I said then, but he did not respond. His eyes had closed, and his breath had slowed until his chest scarcely moved. "Connor, do not leave me," I begged, "do not! I love you, Connor, please stay with me!"_

_But my begging had no effect. Slowly, even the slight movement of his chest stopped, and I was left holding a corpse. _

_"NO!"_

I woke, breathing as though I had just finished running a race. Without looking to see what time it might be, I threw off the bedclothes and raced out of my room. I barged into Connor's room. He sat up, blinking sleepily, as I threw myself into the bed and flung my arms about his neck.

He was stiff for a moment from surprise, then put his arms around me as well. "Hi," he said, laughing. "What…what's the matter, Zera?"

For several moments, I could not speak. I simply kneeled on the bed, feeling Connor's chest move up and down, the gentleness of his arms as he held me, the lean hardness of his fourteen-year-old body, taking in his scent. He was not dead, he had not aged as my nightmare had told me. He was alive, young, and holding me.

"I had a nightmare," I finally managed to say. Connor rubbed my back gently. "It was just a dream," he whispered into my ear. I relaxed slightly, but I could not shake the memory of the dream.

"But it is true," I whispered. "Or it will be." I began to shake a little, and Connor pushed me back so he could look at me. I took in his face, unlined, his hair dark brown. "Zera, what on earth did you dream about?"

"You," I whispered. "But you changed. We were walking, and then you grew terribly old, and I stayed the same, and then…and then…" I could not finish. Though it was dark, I could see the expression on his face when he comprehended what I had not said.

"It really was just a dream, Zera," he told me, pulling me back in. "I'm not going to grow old any time soon. And I'm certainly not going to die."

"But it is going to happen one day," I said. My words were muffled, as I spoke into his chest. "And I will not be able to share it with you. I want to grow old in pace with you, not in the dragged-out manner that I must!"

"Zera." Connor's voice was serious, and I looked up. "We still have time. No one is leaving anybody until we find the fyggs, and neither of us is going to age much in that time.

"That is not the point," I whispered. "I will not be able to grow old with you. I want to, Connor! And I cannot!"

Connor grabbed my shoulders then, and pushed me back. He looked at me seriously. "Zera, you need to listen to me. There's no point in stressing yourself out. You can't change this- you can't even try. Stressing yourself out won't do a blasted thing to stop it, all right? We're just going to have to enjoy this while it lasts."

I sniffed once. "I know," I said. "I am sorry I reacted so. The dream was just…it was terrible."

Connor smiled slightly. "It was _only_ a dream. If you want to, you can stay here until morning."

"Alright," I said. Connor slid his hands off my shoulders and got off the bed. "What are you doing?" I asked, confused. He bent down. When he reappeared, he was holding his training top. He slipped it over his head. "I suppose that answers your question," he said, smiling. I smiled, as well. "Yes, it does."

We settled down into the bed. Connor took one of my hands. My lids grew heavy within moments, but I needed to say one more thing. I raised my head a fraction and murmured, "I must tell you something."

"What is it?" Connor asked.

"I love you."

Even in the darkness, I could see the smile grow upon his face. Very gently, he kissed me on my forehead. "I love you too, Zera."

And together, we slept peacefully that night in Bloomingdale.

/\*/\

I awoke the next morning, blinking sleepily, to the sound of a knock on the door. It seemed that Connor was awake already, for he was getting up to answer. "Morning," he said when he saw me stirring. He was smiling. A smile grew across my face in response. "Good morning to you, as well," I said.

It turned out to be Sydney at the door.

"What is it?" Connor asked. I sat up as Sydney replied, "It's Sunday. Opal said that the service here starts at eight, so I figured I'd ask you if you wanted to go."

"At the church?" I asked, crossing the room. Sydney nodded, seeming only slightly surprised to see me in Connor's room. "Do either of you want to come?"

I looked at Connor, who was looking at me. He shrugged. "I would enjoy it," I said, looking to Sydney. "I have never been to a mortal church service before."

"I suppose I'll go too," Connor said. "Are we going to go there on our own, or will we meet up in the common room first?" As he spoke, my stomach growled. I smiled. So did Sydney and Connor.

"Common room, I think," Sydney said. "Opal's hungry too, I'm sure, so we may as well get some breakfast before the service. See you in a few minutes!"

She turned and left for the common room. I stretched luxuriously, yawned, and said, "I should get dressed." I was wearing only a thin cotton shift as a nightdress. "Good idea," Connor said. "Maybe we ought to try to find something nicer."

"Sydney might have something in that bottomless bag of hers," I said. Connor smiled. "Maybe," he said.

So we headed downstairs to ask.

Sydney had nothing in her bag, but Opal told us that the innkeeper's children had plenty to spare. "They'd share with me all the time when I didn't have something nice enough," she said. So we each borrowed a set of nice clothes, ate, then dressed for the service.

Looking in the mirror, I played with my hair. Letting it out of its ponytail, I swirled it around my shoulders, where it seemed almost bright against my deep blue dress. Smiling, I brushed through it quickly, pulled on my boots- they were nearly invisible under the hem of the long dress, so they would do- and joined the others in the inn's common room.

"Ready?" asked Opal, who was wearing a vividly pink skirt and a pale blue blouse. When we nodded, she took the lead. It was bright outside, and people were moving through the streets towards the church. The bell in the tower was ringing.

The four of us filed in and sat down in a pew halfway up the left row. It did not take long for the church to fill, and soon the bell tolled eight o'clock and the service began.

"Welcome," said the older man leading the service. "That's Father Jacob," whispered Opal. "He's been the priest here since before I was born."

"May the blessings of the Almighty be with all of you this fine morning," continued Father Jacob. "Before we begin the service, are there any guests in our flock?"

Opal pulled on my arm as she stood, and the two of us rose. Connor and Sydney followed suit. There were another two guests several pews ahead in the right row, an older couple.

Each of us said our names, and when it came Opal's turn, I saw a number of people in the congregation smile. "It's good to have you back here, Daughter Opal," said  
>Father Jacob, and I smiled at the term. It fit Opal well.<p>

We sat back down as Father Jacob formally began the service with a call to the Almighty to be with us as we worshipped. The congregation rose when he bade us. I followed along as best I could to an obviously ages-old confession that the group spoke as one. It was very close to one that the Celestrians used, so it was not too difficult.

"Merciful Almighty, I know that I have sinned against You and against my neighbour. I know that I am not worthy of Your great love, and I am truly sorry. Forgive me, Almighty, and help me to do better by Your great mercy. In Your holy name I pray, Amen."

I settled comfortably into the community of the congregation as the service progressed. A woman in her mid-thirties with very short black hair stood several times to lead us in hymns, many of which were variations on those I had heard each Sunday from the congregation of Angel Falls. I recognised one as being based upon one of Lyra's songs. The familiarity was comforting.

When the service had ended, the congregation spilled outside the church to socialise and eat. Quite a few people came over to us in order to converse with Opal. They offered condolences for the loss of Miss Sally, and asked her what she had done since taking leave of Bloomindale. As she spoke, I realised how quickly she healed. Her eyes scarcely grew damp with the multitude of condolences, and she seemed her ever-cheerful self. She truly did believe what she had said the previous night, then, about Miss Sally being at peace and seeing her again someday.

The members of Blooomingdale's church seemed cheerful and easy to speak with. The four of us spoke about our adventures so far, though we did not mention fyggs or Celestrians. We gave descriptions of battles, people and places, and once I sang the Right Knight ditty for several children of perhaps six or seven. As we mingled easily with the people, I reflected that this city would be a wonderful place to live. Everyone was friendly and cheerful.

It was ten o'clock when we left to return our borrowed clothing. Opal was eager to visit the town's stores, and so when we were dressed in our own clothing, we set back out.

The first store was one very near to the church. It was full of carefully hand-made shoes of all sorts, from frugal footwear to wizard wellies. I found a pair of starlet sandals, leather sandals with straps that went up about my ankle. It took me quite a while to decide whether or not to purchase them. They were wonderful shoes, well-made and clearly able to withstand walking and fighting. But my Celestrian shoes had served me well throughout my adventure. They were the one part of my uniform that I had kept with me since I had fallen.

"What's up?" asked Connor, coming over to me. I looked over to him as he kneeled down next to me. "The shoes," I said. "I do not know whether I am able to get rid of my Celestrian pair."

To his credit, Connor did not seem to glaze over when I spoke of shoes. He listened as I said, "I have abandoned every other part of my Celestrian garb. And I do not know if I am able to…"

"Give up this last part?" Connor asked. I nodded. He put a hand on my arm. "I think this is your choice," he told me. I nodded once again. After a moment, Connor rose, and I was left with my ridiculously paralysing decision.

Eventually, however, I chose to take the sandals.

The others had already finished by the time I paid for my new shoes, and I looked at their purchases with interest as I tied my own on. Sydney had bought a pair of simple sheepskin shoes, plain but quite practical. Opal had purchased a pair of siren sandals, and Connor had chosen kung fu shoes, flexible, thin-soled blue and grey boots that laced up over his calves.

The next shop Opal led us to was a weapons stall. I found a green tortoiseshell fan. Opal purchased a deadly nightblade, and Sydney a watermaul wand. When we had sold the shopkeeper our old weapons, Opal lead us to the final store, an armour shop.

I merely browsed, not seeing anything to capture my fancy. It seemed that Opal did not, either, though she searched all the wares at least thrice. Sydney found a purple spangled dress and a circlet, and Connor found a tussler's top and the matching trousers. When they had paid and changed, I decided I quite liked the tussler's clothing on him. He looked very much the martial artist, and I told him so.

He smiled. "Thanks," he said. "You know, you really do look like a minstrel." I smiled, as well. "Thank you," I said. "I think I enjoy playing the part."

"You do it really well," Opal told me. My cheeks warmed. "Thank you."

"Where to now?" asked Sydney. We all thought on that for a moment. Then Sydney's eyes lit up. "Remember the man who ferried us from Porth Llaffan, who told us about the boat here?"

My face broke into a smile. "Perhaps we ought to find out a bit about it," I suggested. Opal's signature broad grin appeared. "Yeah!" she enthused. "Come on, let's go to the harbour and check it out!"

The four of us headed down the nearby stairs to the harbour, where a large ship sat moored to a wooded dock. I was amazed that we had missed the night before, but then, we had been distracted. An old man with a ring of white hair about his head stood on the dock.

"Hi, Mr Edward," said Opal. Mr Edward smiled. "It's good to see you, Opal, my dear!" he said. "What brings you and your friends to Bloomingdale?"

"The ship," I told him. He nodded, still smiling. "She's a fine specimen, don't you think? This shop used to rule the high seas from the Lonely Coast to the shores of Coffinwell. The Pride of Bloomingdale, she's called!"

Then his face grew more serious. "But ever since her owner passed away, she's been left to rot. He was a merchant, you know. A bit of a tycoon, truth be told. I used to work for him, you know. I was the ship's warden back then, employed by the fine folks up there in the mansion."

"We've been looking to find a ship," Sydney told him. The smile came back to Mr Edward's face as he heard this. "So someone still has need of the old girl… You'd better speak to Ms Bloome up at the mansion, then. I'm sure she'll oblige. She's an outrageously generous young woman. Tell the doorman you ran into me at the ship and I'm sure he'll let you in to see her. Marion's her name," he informed us, and we thanked him.

As she led us to the mansion, Opal said, "I always heard that Marion was really frail and sickly. And then her parents died not long before I left for Stornway, so I can't imagine she's gotten much better."

Opal's words about Marion's frailty made me think about what Flinn had told Erinn about herself and her mother, while I was still in Angel Falls. It struck me then how long ago it seemed. Had it truly been only sixteen days since my fall? It seemed impossible that so much could change in such a short time, but then I was accustomed to the slow-paced Celestrian way of life. In this world, where beings lived such a short time, of necessity things must happen at a quicker pace.

"This is the Bloome residence, home of Bloomingdale's most munificent citizen, Ms Marion Bloome," said the doorman when we approached.

"We're friends of Mr Edward," said Sydney. I thought that the term 'friends' stretched the truth a fair bit, but it seemed to have the proper effect. "Then you're very welcome here!" responded the doorman. "Do go in."

He moved aside and opened the gate. We passed through and entered a large, elegant hall. A trader stood inside. When he caught sight of us, he smiled. "Well, well," he said. "Are you more hopefuls? Hopeful of getting into Ms Bloome's good books, I mean?"

"Yeah," said Connor, nodding. The trader tapped the side of his nose with a weather-beaten finger. "So was I until just recently," he told us. "But now my dreams have come true! She's so generous! So wonderfully, wonderfully generous!"

He pointed us down the corridor to our right, and we followed his direction. To our right, near the end of the hall, was a door that stood slightly ajar. We peered in to watch the conversation that was beginning inside a rather plush sitting room.

A young woman with blonde hair and wide blue eyes sat upon a couch. I assumed this was Marion, but her appearance surprised me. She did not seem to be sickly in any way.

"Good day to you both," she said, addressing the man who stood on the left facing her, and the woman who was on the right. "What fun have you in store for me today?"

"Well, Marion- Ahem!" said the man. "I mean, Ms Bloome… I thought something sweet might be nice."

He moved towards her and handed her a carefully made cake. It looked quite good. "So I've baked you this delicious strawberry sponge cake. I do hope you like it."

"A spun…cake…?" asked Marion, seeming quite confused. "A…gunge…cake…?" Then she pulled herself together. "Ah, thank you," she said, smiling at the man. "Yes, I shall have it set in one of our finest vases and put on display."

I restrained laughter as the man, visibly flustered, said, "On dis…? Erm, Ms Bloome,… It's a cake, not a… I mean…Ahem! Yes, yes! Of course. As you wish."

He retreated, seeming to sense that his protests would be of little use.

"Marion, Marion!" said the woman then, and I winced at her nasal voice. "Don't you want to know what I've got for you?"

Marion turned her attention to the woman. "What is it?

The woman walked up to her. "Well, we girls prefer clothes to fatty old foods, don't we? And you're always wearing the same old ribbon, so I got you a new one!" She was beaming, clearly certain that her gift would get a far better reception than the man's. However, Marion's words punctured that idea.

"I don't want it."

"What?" squawked the woman. "B-But… What? Why! It's really prett-"

"If I say I don't want something, I don't want it!" exclaimed Marion. "My ribbon is the same as my one true friend's. It's perfect in every way. I shan't just replace it with something else." She shook her head then. "No! No, no, no! Get out of my sight! I want nothing more to do with you!"

The woman's weak protest of "B-But I… I…" was interrupted when Marion noticed the four of us peering around the door. "Who are you?" she asked. "Are you new friends?"

We entered. "Pleased to meet you," said Marion in response to our introductions. "We…haven't met before, have we?"

"No, we haven't," Opal said. "Please, we wanted to ask if we could maybe have your ship? Because the harbour master said-"

"Certainly," Marion said, interrupting Opal's explanation. "You can have it. Take it away with you. All I ask is that you let me be your frien…"

She trailed off, her blue eyes trained on me. There was a long pause while the two of us stared at one another. Slowly, Marion's face grew into an expression of fright, and she stepped back from us. "You're… You're not the same as the others…" she said. "You've come for Marion, haven't you?"

It took me a moment to process her words. Then I became confused. Why would I come for her? And why was she referring to herself by her name rather than by _I_ or _me_?

"I…I do not think I understand what you mean," I said. "I have not come for anyone. My companions and I wished-"

"Liar!" Marion shouted, and I stepped back involuntarily. "I know you have. You've come for Marion. Well I won't let you! No, no, no! I hate you! You're not my friend. I take it back. You can't have my ship. Get out!"

"Really, Ms Bloome," said the man. "There's no need to get so angry."

"Yes, let's all kiss and make up! We can make up, can't we, Marion?" asked the woman, her annoying voice eager.

Marion shook her head angrily. "No, no, no! I hate you! All of you! Get out! Get out, get out, get out! GET OUT!"

This last shout had such power that I nearly leapt out of my sandals and my ears were left ringing. "Dear me!" exclaimed the man. "Un-until tomorrow then, Ms Bloome… Bye-bye!"

He and the woman raced away. Marion paused to give me a hate-filled glare and then ran through a door in the back left corner. She slammed it behind her, leaving us alone and confused in her sitting room.

* * *

><p>Hello again, all!<p>

I'm amazed I managed to finish this chapter in such a short time- what's it been, a week? Anyway, faster than I'd expected. But I'm glad I didn't take as long as I did last time!

This chapter was lots of fun for me to write, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making it. So, 'til next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	11. Chapter 11

_Marion shook her head angrily. "No, no, no! I hate you! All of you! Get out! Get out, get out, get out! GET OUT!"_

_This last shout had such power that I nearly leapt out of my sandals and my ears were left ringing. "Dear me!" exclaimed the man. "Un-until tomorrow then, Ms Bloome… Bye-bye!"_

_He and the woman raced away. Marion paused to give me a hate-filled glare and then ran through a door in the back left corner. She slammed it behind her, leaving us alone and confused in her sitting room._

* * *

><p>The several seconds of tense silence following this outburst was broken by a loud "Phew!" from Stella.<p>

Seeming oblivious to the mood in the room, she continued. "What a handful, eh? Any idea why she boiled over like that? She bolted totally out of the blue. I'd tell you not to touch her with a large pole, but if you can't patch things up, we won't get that ship. I wonder if there's anyone around here that knows how to get inside her good books…"

I all but ignored Stella's chatter as I stared at the door. My head was reeling with shock at Marion's outburst, and full of questions. Why had she taken such an immediate, intense disliking to me? She had somehow seemed to sense that I was different; how was that possible? And why on earth would she believe I was coming for her?

The memory of the glare she had thrown my direction as she ran made me shiver. I had never seen such an angry, hateful look in my life. One would have thought that I had killed her best friend!

Slowly, I started for the door Marion had raced through. "Zera, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," warned Sydney. "You might just make her angrier."

I paused with my hand on the knob. "You are right," I said after a moment. "Perhaps we ought to find someone here who will know why she flew into such a temper."

"Yeah," agreed Opal. "Let's go."

Immediately outside the mansion, we were accosted by the woman who had attempted to give Marion the hair ribbon. "It's all because of what you said to her!" she shouted accusingly, and I winced. Her voice was the most nasal I had ever heard! How could she stand to hear it issue from her mouth?

Not noticing my brief preoccupation, she continued. "That's why Ms Bloome got so angry. How am I supposed to get by now? Agh!" I flinched back instinctively as several flecks of spittle flew out of her mouth.

To my amusement, she stamped her foot – repeatedly. She clenched and unclenched her fists and looked as though she were going to tear something into a million pieces. It would have been much funnier had I not been slightly fearful that _I _was the one she intended to shred.

"You're going to get you and the rest of us back in her good books, do you hear?" she continued. Then she quieted down a half-decibel. "Start by asking her old nanny for some advice."

As she turned away haughtily, I gave a throat-clearing cough. She looked back to me. "What?"

"Might I ask where I could find her nanny?" I asked, hiding a smile. This woman was fiercer than she looked.

"She lives in the house just across from the mansion," the woman said. Then she flipped her hair and stalked off. I restrained a snort of laughter until she was out of earshot.

Those who stood around me looked rather shocked by the woman's outburst. To tell the truth, I was as well, but my amusement at the ridiculous display of fury she had shown overcame it. "Shall we find the nanny, then?"

We found the old woman in a house that was closer to next door than across from the mansion. As we told her about what had occurred, a look of surprise crossed her kindly, wrinkled face. "…Goodness me!" she exclaimed when we finished. "Are you sure? She's locked herself in her room?"

I nodded, though I was uncertain as to the locking. I had not, after all, tried the knob, but I assumed it to be locked.

"Oh dearie me," said Nanny, shaking her head. "That's an awful worry, but I don't know if I can help. I don't know if she'll want to see me…"

"What do you mean?" asked Sydney. "You were her nanny. Why wouldn't she want to see you?"

Nanny sighed. "Ever since she got well," she explained, "it's like she's a different person. She's very hard to handle now. She won't talk to us staff at all. I don't know what… Oh, wait."

Her eyes had lit up. "There is someone she might listen to, I suppose," she told us. "The toymaker."

My brows drew together. "A toymaker? Why would she listen to a toymaker and not you?"

Nanny smiled and explained, "He made her a doll, you see, and she absolutely dotes on it, bless her."

That seemed odd to me. Marion must have been between Opal's age and Sydney's; the idea of a young teen doting on a doll seemed odd. But I decided not to press the subject, because Nanny had more to say.

"He lives just next to the church," she informed us. "Yes, if Marion's having one of her temper tantrums, I should think the toymaker's our only chance."

"Thank you," I said.

"It was no trouble, dearie," said Nanny, smiling. "Good luck!"

As we walked across and under the one of the bridges that crisscrossed parts of the town, I said, "The house next to the church is where we bought the shoes, is it not?"

Opal nodded. "Yeah," she said. "The shoemaker is actually Randolph's – the toymaker's – son. But they both live there, and hopefully Randolph'll be in today – usually he takes walks around eleven. I would always see him around the city when I had time off from Miss Sally's training."

I realised then that I was a bit hungry, and I smiled ruefully. It seemed that I was nearly always hungry now.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Connor. "My stomach," I replied, laughing. "It doesn't seem quite content to remain full."

Connor smiled, as well. "Sounds like Opal," he said. At that, I laughed, and Opal piped up, "Nope, mine just doesn't _get _full. Probably if I managed to fill it up it'd be content to stay that way!"

All four of us laughed as we continued on our way to the toymaker's house.

Once inside the door of the house, we scanned the room. The shoemaker nodded to us from the far left side of the room. To our left was a largish man with a fringe of brown hair circling a bald spot on his head.

"Hi, Randolph!" said Opal. The brown-haired man turned to us in surprise. He had kind, twinkling eyes that almost exactly matched the shade of his hair. "Opal!" he exclaimed genially. "It's good to see you, dear. Who are your friends?"

Opal introduced us, then asked, "Did you ever make a doll for Marion Bloome?"

"Goodness!" said Randolph, his bushy brows rising. "How on earth would you know…?" Then the twinkle in his eye returned. "Ah… You were talking to her nanny, I suppose. Oh, yes. That takes me back!" He cocked his head questioningly. "But how in the name of the Almighty did you get on to that subject?"

"Marion is being…difficult," I told him. A wry smile touched the corners of my lips. "She shut herself up in her room and I do not believe she intends to come out any time soon."

Randolph ran a hand across his head; perhaps a habit from before his hair had dwindled away. He turned away and murmured, "Oh dear, oh dear. That is a worry. Thank you for letting me know."

He turned back to us. "I don't really know why, but Ms Bloome has always had a soft spot for me. Even when she'd banished the rest of her servants from the house, she would always agree to see me. Why don't we go and see if I can't coax her out of her room this time."

Inside the front hall of the mansion, I jumped when Randolph called loudly, "Hellooo! Ms Bloome! It's Randolph!"

We followed him as he strode to the door Marion had slammed. "Marion, are you in there?" he called through the wood. There was no answer. "Whatever is the matter, my dear? You haven't fallen ill again, have you?"

He jiggled the knob. It turned easily. He looked to us, an uneasy expression on his face. "Well, the door seems to be unlocked. Perhaps she's gone out somewhere…"

Turning back to the door, he called, "I-I'm coming in now, Ms Bloome!" He opened the door, and we stepped inside.

There was no Marion in the room, nor any doll. "Well, that's most odd," said Randolph, sounding nervous in the extreme now. "There's no sign of Marion or the doll I made her."

Something on the bed seemed to catch his eye, and he said, "Hm?" He crossed and picked up a folded piece of paper. We peered over and around his shoulder as he unfolded it. "Look at this!" he exclaimed. "There's a letter on the bed. Well now, let me see…"

My eyes sped across the paper, widening with each word. I scarcely heard Randolph as he read the note aloud.

_"We got the girl. If ya wanna see 'er again, you better bring all yer dough to the cave up norf."_

Randolph dropped the letter as though it were on fire and backed away from it. "My goodness!" he exclaimed. "Th-This is outrageous! I mean, the spelling is just…"

Seeing our expressions (brows raised), he turned red and cleared his throat. "Ahem! I mean, we must raise the alarm at once!"

Opal and I leapt out of the way as Randolph raced out of the room, shouting, "Ms Bloome's been kidnapped! Everyone! Ms Bloome's been kidnapped!"

I started after him, but a gasp from behind me made me turn. When I saw what was there, my eyes widened.

A soft, transparent figure stood by the door that lead out to the west. It was a ghost…of Marion!

Questions raced through my head like whirlwinds. How was Marion dead? Had whoever had kidnapped her killed her? She had a serious expression, as though she had something important on her mind. After her reaction to me earlier, I could not help but wonder why she seemed fine being around me now.

I took a step towards her, and she turned and walked through the door. As she did so, I heard a slight click – the door unlocking? My companions and I looked around at one another. I took Connor's hand firmly – whatever was going on, it unnerved me – and all four of us moved for the door.

Outside, it was quiet and peaceful. We were in a courtyard surrounded by tall walls on three sides, and by a shorter one to the north. I could see a lovely view in that direction, the sea cupped by mountains. But the courtyard had a mournful air.

Three graves occupied it. I looked at the first one, closest to the door, and read it aloud. "Behind every great man is an even greater woman. In loving memory of a dear mother and a faithful wife."

I looked at Connor and the others. "The next one," Sydney murmured, and we moved on. She read it:

"In loving memory of a great man, whose rare business talent brought fortune to this blooming dale."

"These must have been Marion's mother and father," Connor said. I nodded. "But who do you think the third grave belongs to?" I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach remembering the ghostly Marion. We crossed to the third grave and I kneeled down before it.

"In memory of my one true friend. May you rest in peace."

I looked up. "Marion spoke of a 'one true friend,'" I said. "Do you believe this is it?"

Stella did not seem to be listening to me. "That ghost was the splitting image of Marion, don't you think?" she asked. "What d'you reckon's going on? You don't think something's happened to Little Miss Moneybags, do you?"

"She is my one true friend…" said a girl's voice from nowhere. All of us started, and I scrambled up, grabbing for Connor's hand. The voice belonged to Marion!

"Aah!" screamed Stella, making me jump again. "It's her!"

The ghost of Marion materialised atop the grave and curtsied to us, smiling slightly. "I am Marion Bloome," she said, rising. "This is my resting place. The girl… The poor girl who has been kidnapped is my doll, Marionette. My precious Marionette, who was given life by that mysterious fruit…"

Connor, Opal, Sydney, Stella, and I looked at one another in mutual shock. How could the Marion we had met earlier have been a doll? She had walked, spoken, shouted. She could not be a doll!

My vision faded then, and when I heard gasps from around me I knew that the same was happening to them. The pressure of Connor's hand disappeared from around mine, and though I was sure his hand was still there, it unnerved me.

Marion sat on the bed in her room. A limp, life-sized model of her leaned against it, a smile on its face. I heard Marion's voice then, but it did not issue from either mouth I could see. It came from the air around me.

"I wasn't like the other children," she said. "I couldn't play freely outside. Marionette was my one and only companion. She was everything to me. We played together every day. I was really very happy, but…"

The Marion in the vision coughed violently.

"As my condition worsened, I knew that it wouldn't be long before the Celestrians came to take me away. And then, one day…"

My vision faded again, this time to a glowing fygg against blackness. "One of the servants brought me a mysterious fruit that was thought to heal all ills."

The vision changed again, back to Marion and the doll in her room. Marion held a fygg. "It was a beautiful, golden colour like the sun. But it was too late for me. I had already given up hope by that point. I was sure that my life was already over. That nothing could save me, not even that fruit…"

Marion looked over to Marionette. The Marion in the vision spoke then. "Look, Marionette, isn't it pretty? It looks just like the sun the way it sparkles, doesn't it? And it smells…mmm…delicious!" She smiled. "Why don't you eat it with me? I'd like to share it with you."

I thought it strange that she spoke to her doll as though it were a sentient being, but then I recalled what Marion's ghost had said about Marionette being her only companion. No doubt she had grown into the habit of speaking to it.

Marion bowed her head. "Just imagine, Marionette… Imagine if you could walk and talk just like I can. I would be so happy. If only you could come to life so I could have just one true friend before I…"

She coughed again, and I could hear a rattling in her breathing when she stopped. "Th-The Celestrians are coming for me-" She gasped for breath, and my own breath caught. _You've come for Marion, haven't you? _The words echoed in my head, and I realised now where they had come from.

Marion had dropped the fruit on Marionette's lap. There was a sudden flash, and the Marionette raised her head, blinked, and looked at Marion. My eyes widened.

"You are Marion?" asked Marionette. "You are my friend." Her voice sounded slightly uncertain. Marion looked at the now-living doll in shock. Marionette curtsied just as Marion's ghost had curtsied to us. "I'm so happy to be able to speak to you at last!"

"M-Marionette!" stammered Marion. Her blue eyes seemed as wide as dinner plates. "You're… You're really…!" Her excitement seemed to be too much, and she coughed. I winced at the sound of the raw roughness in her throat. "But why now…? J-Just when…I am… It's not…fair…"

Marionette shook her head in evident confusion. "What do you mean?"

I could see the sadness in Marion's expression as she looked at the face of her living doll. "I… I am… Marionette, I leave everything that I own to you. All that is mine is now yours. I…give you my life."

It looked as though Marionette wished to interrupt, but Marion continued. "If people realise that you're a doll, they, they won't let you stay here. You must pretend to be me."

Her head drooped as though she could no longer summon the energy to hold it up. Her eyes closed. The next words came in a whisper.

"I hope…you have a happy life…as Marion… Live the life that…that I could not…"

My vision whited out, and Marion's voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Make…lots…of friends…as I…never…could…"

The vision returned, this time to Marion – or Marionette? – standing before the grave that Marion's ghost had appeared on. Marion's voice continued, but it was stronger now. It was clearly the voice of the ghost, not the living Marion.

"Marionette made this secret grave for me so that no one would realise that she wasn't me."

Marionette turned and walked away from the grave. My vision faded back to the courtyard at the present time. The pressure of Connor's hand returned, and I relaxed slightly. I felt better knowing that he was there.

Marion's ghost looked at me. Her eyes seemed more piercing than a sharp sword, and I fidgeted slightly. Only Aquila's gaze had seemed more penetrating than that of the ghostly girl!

"Noble Celestrian…" she said. "It is all my own doing. I am the only one to blame. Please, don't punish Marionette for this."

Her form dematerialised, but her voice continued to speak. "Kind Celestrian… Please help Marionette. Help my one true friend…"

Then her voice faded to nothingness, as well. I tore my gaze away from the space Marion's ghost had stood in only moments before to look at my companions. Each of them seemed as shocked as I was.

"Let me get this straight…" said Stella. "One of those fyggs has turned a lifeless little doll into a moody little madam? Now I've heard it all!" I had to agree, and I was not the only one who nodded. Stella looked to me and shrugged. "Still, you can't really turn a blind ear to a cry for help like that can you, 'noble Celestrian'?" She grinned, and then pumped her fist into the air. "Chop, chop, then! Get to work! You've got a doll to deliver from the crutches of doom!"

We returned to the Flowery Beds to formulate a plan. The simplest thing to do, of course, would be to simply charge into the 'cave up norf' and either demand Marionette back or to fight for her. But that did not seem like such a good plan. We were well able to take care of ourselves, but I was reluctant to harm a mortal over a living doll. I suggested that we take a more careful approach.

Sydney's map was spread out on the table, surrounded by our lunches. Opal had already cleaned off a plate and was well into her second. "What kind of approach?" she asked, swallowing a large mouthful of chewed-up apple.

I thought about that for a moment. "Perhaps something…deceptive," I said. "In the ransom note, it said to bring dough to the cave to the north – Bad Cave," I said, placing my finger upon the spot. "So perhaps we ought to behave as though we were bringing the dough. Though it must be quite important to the kidnappers to have dough – I have never heard of anything but precious gems or money being asked as ransom."

I heard a snorting sound to my left, and turned to see Connor bent over his glass of water. He was clearly trying to restrain laughter until he swallowed. "What is so amusing?" I asked.

"Dough is slang for money, Zera," he said, swallowing his water. "The note didn't mean to bring actual dough like you would use for bread or something."

My face went warm. "Oh."

"But that's a really good idea," Opal said. "We can go to the cave and pretend we're bringing the ransom. Maybe if we got a bag and filled it up with something so it felt like there were coins in it –"

"I don't think that'll fool them for long," interrupted Sydney. "I lived in Dourbridge for thirteen years, remember. No right-minded ne'er-do-well would accept a bag of coins in exchange for something without checking first to make sure they hadn't been cheated."

This had us all stumped for a moment. I took a bite of the sliced-bread-and-meat concoction that Opal had made up as we thought. Then Connor said, "So we'll just double-cross the kidnappers."

We all looked at him. "Go on," Sydney said.

"We give them the money, let them realise it's real, and when they give us Marionette, one of us takes the money back," Connor explained. I swallowed my mouthful. "Connor, you are a genius."

He grinned.

"So how will this work, exactly?" asked Opal. We looked at one another, and then, grinning, we set to planning our doll rescue.

Half an hour later, we stood at the front entrance of the Bad Cave. I had a leather bag that we had borrowed from the innkeeper slung over my shoulders. It was full to bursting with coins. Opal was wearing a magenta turban and gold hoop earrings that she had found in the attic where the innkeeper had gotten the bag. I was not sure why she liked them so much – in my opinion, they made her look more like a pirate than a mage – but I did not voice my opinion. What Opal wore was her own business.

"Good luck, Zera," said Connor. We had agreed that though all of us would go in, only one of us was needed to exchange the coins for Marionette. Connor, Opal, and Sydney would shadow me discreetly so that Sydney could steal the bag back from the kidnappers when we had Marionette safely away. As Sydney had said, it was a useful thing to have a former thief with us.

I entered the cave, looking about warily. It was very wet in there, and I could hear the sounds of monsters deeper into its recesses. As I crossed a higher, narrow strip of earth, a door to my right and in the lower portion of the cave banged open and a thickset man with a scruffy leather mask stormed out.

"Wot the blinkin' Nora are we gonna do now?" he asked of the world in general. A skinny, shifty-looking man with a beard followed the thickset ruffian out.

"Sorry, Guv," he said, "but it turns out the girl don't 'ave no family or nuffink. And she's given all 'er servants an' that the 'eave-'o, so… There ain't anyone around who's gonna notice that she's gone." He looked a bit sheepish. "Yeah, come to think of it, the place was a bit quiet…"

The thickset ruffian turned to look at the skinny man. "You plonker!" he shouted, and the skinny man flinched back. "But we ain't done for yet!" he said, folding his meaty arms in a pleased manner. "Even if she ain't got family, there's gotta be one of 'er mates or somefink who'll turn up. Just sit tight. Someone'll turn up wiv the dough, you'll see."

"He he!" giggled the skinny man. "Sit tight, eh? Genius, Guv! Genius!"

They turned and went back through the door as I rolled my eyes. Perhaps we could have simply faked the coins – I doubted these two idiots would have had the brains to check. I continued walking, and soon I reached a wider, roughly ovular area with a table and a single rickety chair in the centre. There was a sign to the left that read, "Welcum. Pleese come in and beseat yerself."

Reluctant as I was to sit in the chair – I had doubts about its ability to hold my weight – I decided that it would be the best plan. So, gingerly, I lowered myself into the seat. I looked around to see Connor's head pop up from behind a rock. "Here we go!" he mouthed. I nodded, and turned myself so that I was facing over the table.

I heard the muffled voice of the thickset ruffian: "Hm? I thought I 'eard someone walkin' about… Best 'ave a butchers…"

A few moments later, the thickset ruffian emerged from a door on the lower level of the cave. Seeing me seated at the table, he asked, "Wot are you doin' 'ere?" Then he scrambled up a ladder on the side of the cliff. As he hauled himself up, he exclaimed, "Blimey! You ain't got the ransom, 'ave you!"

By way of an answer, I took the bag off my shoulders and poured a handful of coins onto the table. The ruffian looked at them greedily. "Ahem!" he said, strolling a bit closer. "Well, well… Welcome to our 'umble 'ideout! Not much to look at, but, you know… We ain't the lucky ones." He shrugged, then continued.

"Don't tell me. I reckon I've got a pretty good idea of who you are. You're, er… You're Bloome's…" He looked away in thought, then looked back at me. "Well, you're top notch anyway, intcha? Yeah, a real 'ighbrow 'ero, eh?"

_Yes, I'm quite the best of the living-doll rescuers, _I thought.

"Diamond!" exclaimed the ruffian. "I knew she was worth kidnappin'! Well, don't worry. The young lady is in good 'ealth. We ain't laid a finger on 'er."

He turned away, and I scooped the coins back into the bag. "Oi!" shouted the ruffian. "Bring the girl out 'ere, would ya?"

He looked back at me. "If ya wouldn't mind just bearin' wiv us a sec… He he he…"

There was a long pause as he turned his attention away from me again. I looked back quickly to see a trio of heads pop up from behind rocks. Opal shrugged. "This shouldn't be taking so long," mouthed Sydney. Then the ruffian shouted again, and their heads ducked down.

"Oi! Wot's takin' so ling, eh?"

The skinny man ran out of the door. "Guv, Guv!" he called. "We've, er… We've got a bit of a problem, Guv!"

"Eh?" grunted the ruffian. "Wot is it?"

The skinny man shifted, then called, "She got away! The bird's done a runner!"

My eyes widened. Marionette had escaped!

"You wot!" roared the ruffian. He slid down the ladder, and he and the skinny man raced back through the door.

I stood and turned, making the chair grate against the stone floor. Connor, Opal, and Sydney were coming from their hiding places. "I think those two are probably the absolute most incompetent criminals I've ever seen!" said Sydney, laughing. "He didn't even take the coins before he called for Marionette to be brought out."

"How do you lose a teenage girl who used to be a doll?" wondered Connor. "Wouldn't they have locked her up? And even if they didn't, how strong could she be?"

We found out very soon.

Following the kidnappers' path through the door, we came into a room with another set of table and chair in the centre. Down a passage that led to the northwest, we saw something that made my eyes widen.

A set of bars split the small cavern in half. A door was set into them, probably locked. The skinny man paced inside the bars, muttering to himself. But what was most astonishing was the fact that to the right of the doors, the bars were prised far enough apart for two people to walk through easily.

"Very strong," I whispered. "It must have been the fygg."

"Which way do you guess she went?" asked Opal.

"Up the northeast corridor," said Sydney. She sounded very certain. "How do you know?" asked Connor.

"Because," Sydney explained, "the northwest corridor leads here. The one to the southeast probably leads to the door that the ruffians came out of the first time, when they realised that Marionette had no family. That leaves just the northeastern corridor."

Connor, Opal and I looked at one another. "I suppose we go northeast, then," I said. Sydney's logic was quite good, and I told her so. She grinned.

A short way down the twisting northeast corridor stood the thickset ruffian. "Oh no!" he was saying to himself. "She ain't nowhere to be seen!"

Then he saw me, accompanied by three people he had never seen before. "…Eh?" he asked. "Wot you doin' 'ere? Come to 'elp look, 'ave ya?" When we nodded, he said, "Better watch yer backs, then. They say there's a deadly monster down in the depths o' this place. A quiet bird like 'er ain't gonna stand a chance… Aah, bloomin' 'eck, this is a disaster!"

As we passed him, I sighed. "Deadly monster," I said. "That seems familiar." Connor smiled wryly. "Deadly monsters are starting to become commonplace for us," he said. "Let's hope beating them does, too."

And we continued through the maze-like corridors of the Bad Cave. It was lucky for us that Sydney's map showed the caverns and corridors, else we might have become quite lost. But eventually, we found our way to nearly the deepest part of the cave. An opening stood ahead of us, leading into the last cavern. We had not seen a sign of Marionette our whole time. I knew now that she would be in the deepest part of the cave, most likely with the deadly monster. It would be far too easy otherwise.

"Are you ready?" I asked, looking to my companions. Sydney nodded. Opal gripped the handle of her knife. Connor touched my hand gently. And we entered the deepest part of the Bad Cave.

It was a surprisingly spacious cavern to be underground. Broken stone columns stood scattered about the place, and pools of purplish acid bubbled in dips in the cavern's floor. Directly ahead of us, facing away, was Marionette.

We walked towards her. Clearly, she heard the sounds of our footsteps, for she turned to face us. She was smiling.

"Oh, hello!" she said.

"Hello, Marionette," I replied. Marionette's clear eyes widened, and her face went the colour of a sheet. "…M-Marionette?" she stammered. "H-how do you know my real name?"

Then, oddly, she seemed to forget her train of thought. Her face brightened again, and she said, "I've made some charming new friends. One of them has a beard, and the other one has a mask and is called 'Guv'! Only…I wasn't having much fun playing with them, so I decided to go for a walk. Are you on a walk too?"

I blinked, bemused. The living doll had gone from white-faced shock to chatting away at me as though we were the best of friends within seconds. Thinking about her 'charming new friends' comment, I wondered if the kidnappers had even had to be forceful to get her up to the cave. The doll would believe anyone who claimed that they wished to be her friend!

My thoughts were interrupted by a roar that shook the entire cavern. All of us jumped, and grabbed for Connor's hand as I searched wildly for the source of the sound. As my head whipped about, I noticed that Marionette was looking to her right.

"Oh, hello," she said to something in that direction. "Who are you?"

My eyes widened and I froze as I saw what she spoke to. Eight wriggling legs. Skull-like face. Clacking pincers. And an enormous hideous body hanging from a think string. I unfroze, then scrambled back, shrieking, "SP-SP-SPIDERRR!"

The spider-thing was undoubtedly the most terrifying thing I had ever seen. I feared spiders when they were the size of dust mites; this thing was longer than I was tall and as thick around as Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I put together. It took every gram of my self-control and the pressure of Connor's hand around my own to keep from turning and sprinting out of the cavern, screaming as loud as I could.

Shivers ripped down my spine as the spider-thing hissed: "Hchiiiiiiiiiiiih!"

Marionette turned and curtsied to the hideous creature. Had she no fear?

"Nice to meet you too. You're very interesting-looking, aren't you? Will you be my friend?"

Her _friend_! I tried to look away from the spider-thing's skull-face, but I could not. Connor squeezed my hand harder, but it did not help. I was shaking like a leaf, and every cell in my body urged me to run.

The spider-thing reared back, hissing again – "Hchiiiiiiiiiiiih!" – and slammed Marionette, sending her flying. She landed limply next to a pool of the bubbling acid. Sydney and Opal raced to her, as did Connor. I was pulled along, working my legs instinctively to keep from falling over.

Sydney kneeled down beside Marionette's limp body and put her fingers to the doll's neck. Then she looked up. "No pulse."

Opal's thin shoulders went back. "You're gonna pay for that, Tyrantula!" she yelled. _Tyrantula?_ I wondered, but then decided that Opal _would_ know the beast's name - she had grown up near this cave, after all.

"Hchiiiiiiiiiiiih!" hissed Tyrantula. Connor squeezed my hand once more, then let go and rushed for the beast. He assumed what he had described to me in one of our conversations as a riding stance, then he struck out at Tyrantula.

The beast swung back on its thread, and as Connor retreated, I saw the expression upon his face. The attack he had used seemed to have damaged him in some way, as well as Tyrantula.

Opal cast Bang, and the air around Tyrantula burst and warped. My entire body shook with fear and revulsion, but I opened my fan and sliced as deep and hard as I could into Tyrantula's body. It was immensely satisfying, and I scrambled back to avoid being impaled by one of Tyrantula's pincers.

Then the beast spun a web and flung it at me. I did not manage to dodge in time, and the web caught me like a fishing net. It was immensely sticky, and felt horrid. I clawed and sliced at it, struggling to escape. When Connor tried to help, I shook my head. He did not need to be stuck, as well!

By the time I managed to extricate myself from the web, Tyrantula was dripping bluish-black blood from several wounds. I re-joined the fray, adding a severed right pincer to the list of Tyrantula's injuries.

Tyrantula snapped at Opal with its remaining pincer, jabbing through her right sleeve and into her arm. Then it turned and flung a web at Sydney, who managed to sidestep it.

Sydney hurried over to Opal and cast Heal. I could see the relief on Opal's face as the wound closed up.

Connor hurled a handful of pebbles and rubble directly at Tyrantula. The rain of rocks caught it in the face, and it hissed angrily. Opal cast Crackle before the beast could strike back at Connor.

I cast Crackle, as well. I had little desire to approach Tyrantula; I had repaid it for entangling me in the web by cutting off its pincer, and now I had absolutely no reason to go near it. The only things keeping me in the cavern were Connor and the hope of a fygg.

Tyrantula swung at Connor who dodged. Then, to my amusement, he stuck his tongue out at the beast.

That seemed to anger it. It struck out at Connor a second time, and this time its pincer stabbed into his bare right arm. He cried out as the pincer was yanked out. The wound started bleeding immediately, and profusely – clearly, the pincer had gone in deep. I started towards him, intending to cast Heal, but Sydney got there first. The relief on Connor's face was clear when the wound had closed.

Now he raced at Tyrantula, crouched before it, and struck out with a shocking amount of strength for suck a lanky body. Tyrantula was flung back – the string it dangled from broke – and it landed with a loud crunch on the ground before one of the pools of acid. After a moment, its body dissolved into blackness that quickly evaporated.

There was a moment where none of us moved. Then I went to Connor. "Are you all right?" I asked, gesturing to the new skin where Tyrantula had skewered him. He nodded.

"I didn't know you were scared of spiders," he said then. I felt my face go red. "It is ridiculous, I know," I said. "Many of them are absolutely tiny! But they are just so…creepy."

"That's okay," said Opal. "I know tons of people who're scared of spiders. Honestly, I think they're creepy, too."

Our conversation was interrupted by a voice from the cavern entrance. "Oi! Miss!" it called. Even before I turned, I knew that it was our friend the ruffian. He was revealed to have come with his skinny partner when I did turn around.

"M-Miss?" he asked, looking at Marionette's limp body. He dashed over to it. "Pull yourself together, love! Come on!"

When he received no response, he felt for her pulse, then turned to look at the skinny man. "Oh, crikey… She's a goner!" he said.

The skinny man's eyes widened. He was not looking at the ruffian, but rather past him to Marionette. "Watch it, Guv!" he exclaimed, and when I followed his eyes I received a shock. Marionette had stood!

"Oh, dearie me," she said. "What a shock!"

The ruffian turned, seeming shocked – though I could not see his expression to be certain of the fact. "'Ang abaht!" he cried, and I wondered briefly what he meant by that. "Ain't you…s'posed to be dead?" He took several slow steps back. "Th-This place is 'aunted!" he stammered. "I-I'm gettin' out of 'ere!"

He and the skinny man raced out of the cavern, yelling, "Heeelp! There's a monster in 'ere! Help! HEEELP!"

I stared after them. Then I heard Marionette's voice, quiet and hesitant. "A…monster…?" I looked to see a confused, hurt expression on her face. "Monsters are those nasty creatures that no one ever likes in story books… I understand now." She looked at the floor. "I suppose I always knew deep down… I'm sorry, Marion, but I'm just no good at being mortal… All these people aren't really my friends. They only like me for the things I give them. I've tried, Marion, for your sake… But I'll never be able to make true friends. I'm just a monster."

I saw a tear drip from Marionette's face. Then a voice resounded in the cavern, one that sounded exactly like Marionette's – but it did not come from her mouth.

"You…are no monster…" it said, and Marionette looked up and around for the source. I already knew where it came from: Marion's spirit. "You are…my one true friend… My best friend, Marionette."

Marion's ghost appeared in the space between Marionette and my companions and me. I saw Marionette's eyes widen, and a smile burst onto her face.

"You're back!" she exclaimed. "Let's play! What do you want to play?"

For several long moments, there was silence from Marion. Then, she said, "I-I'm sorry, Marionette. We can't play any more. We can't ever play again." I could hear the sadness in her voice as she spoke.

A hurt expression crossed Marionette's face. "Don't you like me any more?" she asked. "Is that why you don't want to play with me?"

Marion shook her head. "I was all alone in the world, Marionette," she said. "You were the one who kept me going. But now… Now, you are all alone."

"Alone?" asked Marionette, sounding as though the word were foreign. Marion continued:

"You brought me such happiness. I, I…"

"Happiness!" interrupted Marionette, the smile returning to her face. "Yes! I'm always happy when I'm with you, Marion."

"I'm so sorry," said Marion. Her voice was quiet. "Be free now, Marionette. Forget about my dying wish. Just be free." As she spoke, she began to glow. "I am Marion. You are Marionette. I have to go somewhere far, far away. The Celestrians are coming to take me."

She looked down at Marionette. "Don't pretend to be me any more. You are Marionette. Go back to being a doll now."

Marion's ghost began to rise up. "Thank you…" she whispered, "Marionette… Thank you…my one true friend… May you…find happiness…"

Her glow grew until everyone in the cavern was forced to shield their eyes. Then the glow vanished, and I looked at Marionette. To my surprise, she was looking at us. "Marion has gone on a long journey, so I must go back to being a doll," she said matter-of-factly. "But first I must tell everyone that Marion's going away…"

Then she turned and left the cavern.

I looked to Connor and the others. "Shall we return to Bloomingdale?" I asked, knowing already what the answer would be. Each of my companions nodded, and then we set off back to the city.

The passage of an hour and a half found Connor and me sitting together on a rise a short distance to the south of Bloomingdale. Opal had told us about it, and we had decided to take advantage of the fygghunt-free afternoon to be together. The rise was situated on a narrow peninsula, and there was an amazing view of the sea. Off to the west, a fair-sized island sat in the waves, with a lighthouse in the centre. We had a couple apples with us, and I nibbled at one as we spoke and exchanged stories.

"So, I was eight years old," Connor was saying, "and Stornway was having a problem with axolhotls from up near Loch Storn. I'd been taking martial arts for about four years by then, but I was this tiny little thing – I didn't really start growing until I hit about thirteen. I was little and skinny, but I was confidant.

"So I decided that I would go out and fight the axolhotls." He smiled then. "It was silly, but I was sure I could do it. I got up one morning and I went outside the city and waited for the axolhotls to start showing up. Of course, once they did, they came in a big pack – there were at least ten of them. I realised just how stupid it had been to go out and try to fight them about the time they spotted me and came after me.

"I would have been mincemeat if Mom and Dad hadn't realised that I was gone and run for Sensei Michael. He brought a half-dozen of the guards, and they found me about the time I thought I was done for. I think it took them about five minutes to take care of all the axolhotls. I spent several days being taken care of by the town doctor, and I still have a scar from all of it."

"Can I see?" I asked, curious. Connor slid off his left shoe and pushed up his pants leg, revealing a fair-sized pinkish scar running across his thigh. I looked at it with interest. "From one of the swords?" I asked. Connor nodded. "I had a load more injuries, but this is the only one that left a scar. It was really deep."

"Impressive," I said. After a moment of sitting quietly, munching the apples, Connor asked, "What did you do to train with Aquila?"

"Flying exercises," I said. "We sparred, as well. That is the only way a Celestrian can fight a superior, in practise, because our laws forbid the opposition of a superior. But Aquila was an excellent sparring partner. He was a senior Celestrian, so he had years of experience. I do not believe I would have learned nearly as much had another Celestrian taken me on."

I stopped there. Speaking of Aquila reminded me of the worries that had been buried for days, since we had returned to the Protectorate. What had happened to him when he went to search for me? Why had he not returned? Had none of the others been able to find him?

Connor seemed to read the worry upon my face, for he moved closer to me and put an arm over my shoulders. I smiled, put slightly more at ease by his closeness. But the closeness brought up the strange longing that had begun to come over me recently. Heat rose to the surface of my skin, though I vaguely attempted to squash it down.

I turned my face so I could inhale his scent. Gently, Connor rubbed my shoulder, and I felt a slight pressure on my head as he leaned his against mine.

"I love you," I murmured. Connor took his head off mine and looked at me. "I love you too, Zera," he said. My heart began to race as I fixated on his lips. They were close. Very close. My skin grew warmer, and I felt a fluttering in my stomach.

When he leaned in, it took all my self-control to lean away. I could read the confusion in his eyes as he retreated. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "This."

Connor's brows knitted together. "What do you mean?" he asked.

I bit my lip. "I am a Celestrian, Connor," I said. "And you are mortal. I will not be able to stay here forever, you know that. Once the fyggs are all retrieved, I will have to return to the Observatory." I drew in a deep breath. "And everything that we do now will just make it that much harder when the time comes for us to part."

Connor's shoulders dropped. "What are we supposed to do, then?" he asked. "Stay away from each other until we've got all the fyggs?"

"I do not know!" I said. I felt my eyes start to tear. Why did I always have to end up starting a fight when moments seemed perfect?

"Oh, no," said Connor, sighing. "Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started that."

"You did not," I muttered. "It was my fault."

Connor took one of my hands and gently kissed my wrist. I smiled and leaned into him. At least when we fought, we made up quickly.

We sat peacefully for several minutes, until I heard footsteps approaching us. I looked up, as did Connor, to see Opal and Sydney jogging towards us.

"Hey!" called Opal. "We've got news!"

Connor and I rose. He slid his arm off my shoulders and took my hand. "What news?" he asked. About then, Opal and Sydney reached us. Opal was grinning broadly, as always. Sydney had a smaller smile on her face.

"We got the ship," Sydney told us. My face broke out in a smile. "Really?" I asked. Opal nodded, beaming. "And a fygg," she said. "Come on! Let's go and set sail!"

* * *

><p>Hello again, people! I wish I'd been able to get this up on Saturday like I wanted, but I couldn't find the right place to stop soon enough. This chapter was pretty enjoyable to write, but I don't want to take too long with the chapters - I feel bad when I leave it too long without updating. Okay, sorry, I feel like I'm babbling now!<p>

So anyway, until next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	12. Chapter 12

My smile grew on my face as we boarded our new ship. "Have a safe journey, young'uns," called Mr Edward from the dock. "I'll be praying for you!"

That was quite a heartening thing to hear. The only one of us Mr Edward knew by name was Opal, and yet still he intended to pray for us. As we drew the plank onto the ship from where it had rested on the dock, I waved to him.

Sydney's face wore a grin that would not have looked out of place on Opal. "Come on," she said, heading for the stairs that lead to the raised deck on the rear of the boat. "I want to set sail!"

As we walked for the deck, a question suddenly came to my mind. I could not believe that I had not thought of this earlier! "Do any of you know how to pilot a ship?"

"Yes," said Sydney, sounding quite matter-of-fact. "The only way I could get to Swinedimples was to work on board the ship for my passage. I never actually steered, but I learned loads about it by watching the captain. It can't be hard!"

Being on the ocean must have agreed with her, I decided. I had never seen Sydney looking so alive and vibrant. Her eyes were sparkling, and I could not help but smile myself. Her enthusiasm was catching.

It seemed that Sydney was a natural with a ship's wheel. Within perhaps three minutes she had steered us about so that the _Pride_'s prow faced northeast, and she had directed us as to how to adjust the sails so that we caught the fine wind Mr Edward had told us of while we were still on the dock. Soon, Bloomingdale was behind us, and the western coast of the landmass was sailing by at a fair clip. We were on our way to Gleeba, the next destination we had chosen. If the wind stayed with us, we would dock at the island by about four thirty.

"Yay!" exclaimed Stella. "We've blagged ourselves a boat at last! Let's see what we can see. Other than the sea, if you see what I mean…"

I had to laugh. "Sounds like a good idea to me!" Opal cheered.

Sydney seemed eager to teach us about the workings and parts of a ship such as the _Pride of Bloomingdale._ "Port is left," she told us, "and starboard is right. This back deck that we're on is called the quarterdeck, and the captain's cabin ought to be underneath us. The main deck is the big one that takes up the rest of the top surface of the boat."

She waxed on for several minutes about the parts of the ship and all their functions. It was quite interesting, but my eyes began to glaze over once we reached the tenth minute. As she began about the hold, Connor interrupted: "Why don't we explore it instead of having it explained?"

I had to admire his tact. Sydney's mouth remained half-open for a second, then she smiled. "I need to stay up here and steer, but you guys can," she told us. "I wouldn't want us to run aground."

"Me, neither," said Opal, and the three of us headed down to the main deck to explore.

The captain's cabin was spacious, occupying the entire space beneath the quarterdeck. A large oak desk sat in the centre, with an open log, a quill with ink, and several books. I peered into the log and saw that the most recent entry was from several months before.

"'Seven December,'" I read. "'Sunny. The temperature has dropped nearly ten degrees overnight. Marion and Rachel are urging for our return to Bloomingdale, and I must agree. It seems that the monsters of the sea are becoming much more active, and I am worried that they will soon grow bold enough to come onto the ship and attack.'"

I looked to Connor and Opal, and saw my worry reflected upon their faces. "Do you think it's still happening?" Opal asked, fiddling nervously with the handle of her knife. Connor shrugged. "Keep reading," he told me. I took a breath, and looked back down at the page.

"'Marion's condition, which seemed to have grown better during the warm-weather months aboard the _Pride_, appears to be worsening now that it has grown cold. Only this morning I noticed that she was coughing more than she has in months. I fear…no, I cannot write that. But I must… I fear that at the rate of her deterioration, she will not last through the winter. It tears at me to think of this, but I cannot seem to get it off of my mind. I know that Rachel shares my worry, but we do not speak of it. It may be superstitious, but I fear to speak of Marion's condition in case it becomes worse. I hope that back in the warmer climes of Bloomingdale, she will become better.

"'I must leave – I do not like to leave Rachel and Marion alone on the decks with the current profusion of monsters.'"

The entry ended there.

After a long moment of silence, I moved the quill and inkpot to the left side of the log so I could reach it easier and wet the tip of the quill. "What are you doing?" asked Opal.

"I am going to write an entry," I said. "We ought to document that the ship has changed hands."

With that, I put the tip of the quill to the paper and began to scratch out my entry in my messy script:

_Twenty-nine April. Warm and sunny. Today, ownership of the _Pride of Bloomingdale_ passed into the hands of Connor the martial artist, Sydney the priest, Opal the mage, and me, Zera the Celestrian and minstrel. Mr and Mrs Bloome have passed on, and their daughter Marion has gone on a very long journey from which she shall not return as well. It is my hope that the _Pride_ will carry us on many adventures._

I stopped there. I did not know what else to write. Connor and Opal scanned the short entry, and then Connor touched my arm. "I think that covers everything," he said, and I looked up in time to see him smile. "Although, it would be interesting to see the reaction of a stranger if they read this!"

I had to laugh. "Yes, it would."

Connor took a small handful of sand from a container that I had not noticed before and sprinkled it over the page to dry the new entry.

"Where to next?" asked Opal. I looked up from the log and moved to look out the door. "Perhaps the hold," I suggested, pointing to the two hatches that lead down into the bowels of the ship.

I did not know what exactly I expected to find in the hold, but the surprise I felt seemed to suggest that what we found was not it. The staircase we had chosen led into a small bedroom, complete with a bookshelf beside the bed. A second set of stairs led down to another level, but we did not explore there just yet. There were a number of other rooms on the first level. However, our exploration proved that there was not much of interest there except for a garish garb in a wardrobe.

The second level down was entirely open. It was full of barrels, pots, and – strangely – a large cage containing two red chests. Unfortunately, the thief's key we had received from Sydney's friend Max did not seem to work on the lock.

"Blast," I said, not sounding quite irate enough for it to seem as though I meant the word. I shrugged, turned away from the cage – and heard a shout from the top deck.

My head snapped around and for a moment, Connor, Opal, and I formed a triangle looking at one another. Then, a second later, we were sprinting up the stairs to the main deck.

Sydney was standing up against the mast, staff held defensively in front of her. A claw hammer, three knocktopii, and a spinchilla surrounded her, looking eager to pounce. Opal and I drew our weapons, Connor clenched his fists, and the three of us raced to help Sydney.

"Yahh!" I shouted, slicing my fan into the head of one of the knocktopii. As I drew it back out, the wound dribbled bluish blood, and the shocktopus gave a screech and turned on me.

Before it could attack, Connor pushed past it and struck out at the claw hammer, which was preparing to drive one of its strange pincer-things into Sydney's arms. The claw hammer was thrown back several metres, and Sydney whacked it over the head with her staff.

The spinchilla spun at Opal, its arms held out, and Opal was whacked several times with the back of the monster's hands. She stumbled back several paces, then regained her balance and cast Bang. The air around each of the monsters rent, and the shocktopus I had injured fell back and dissolved into purple dust. I grinned.

Seeming angry, the other knocktopus managed to leap at Opal and stab into the hand she raised to block her face. She winced and made an odd whimper-cry as the spike entered and exited her skin. Sydney raced over and cast Heal, and Opal said, "Thanks."

Connor cast his interesting wind-flinging spell. I had not seen that in a while, I realised, as the wind sliced through the monsters remaining on the deck. The claw hammer flopped limply on to the deck and joined the knocktopus in becoming dust. I decided to name his wind-flinging spell Wind Sickles.

I raced at the spinchilla and cut deep into its chest. It wobbled, and when Sydney hit it with her staff, it died as well.

Now Opal cast Crackle, stabbing into the underside of the one remaining shocktopus. It leapt and spun at me, but fortunately the spinning spikes bounced off my breastplate, leaving only small scratches.

Connor punched the knocktopus in the face, sending it flying. It hit the mast with a crunching noise that worried me for a moment until it slid down and dissolved. The mast had not cracked, merely the monster's head.

"Thanks," Sydney said. "I wasn't sure you heard me from all the way down in the hold."

_I am not sure we would have if we had been speaking,_ I thought, but I did not want to say that. It was most likely not the most encouraging thing to say in this situation.

The sun was growing lower in the sky as the four of us headed to the quarterdeck and Sydney took the wheel once more. Judging by the sun, it had been about half an hour since we had left Bloomingdale, and we had already passed between Newid Isle and the landmass we had spent the past few days upon. Sydney turned us about so that we were sailing southeast, between the landmass and a large island that seemed to be all desert. "There's Gleeba!" said Opal, pointing.

A tall ridge of rock blocked much of my view of the island, but if I squinted I could make out something over the tops. "Is that the kingdom?" I asked, pointing towards it.

"I think so," Sydney said. She returned her attention to our path through the water and adjusted the wheel so that we did not drift into the rocky, cliff-like southern shore of Gleeba.

We were silent for a moment. Then, Opal asked, "If fyggs really did grant wishes properly, without turning you into a monster or anything, what would you wish for when you ate it?"

_Wish…? _I thought. Then I realised that wish-granting was the logical conclusion as to what the fyggs did. After seeing all that we had, what else were we to think?

I did not even need to consider the answer.

_To be mortal,_ I thought. _I would wish to be a mortal. And to remain in the Protectorate with Connor. _

The speed at which I realised this surprised me. Would I truly give up my Celestrian being so readily?

_Yes, _said a small voice inside of me. _Yes, you would._

I did not say my decision aloud. Connor and Sydney both seemed to be thinking about their own answers. Sydney twitched the wheel slightly.

"Do you know what yours would be?" I asked Opal. There must have been a reason for her asking, after all. And I was curious. I really knew very little about Opal.

"I would wish to always be around the people that I love," she said matter-of-factly. A smile pulled at the corners of my mouth at her words. I thought that was a wonderful wish, and I told her so.

"I think I would wish to live somewhere by the ocean," Sydney said, "and to minister to the people who lived there."

Connor was still looking out over the corridor of ocean that Sydney was steering us through. He seemed lost in thought, and only returned his attention to the ship when Opal asked, "So what would you wish for?" She seemed to be putting the question to both me and Connor.

I looked at Connor and saw in his eyes that his wish would be similar to my own. He smiled and took my hand, and I smiled back. Opal did not ask the question again.

For a long moment, there was silence. Then, Opal said, "Do we have anything that could be considered a snack? I'm hungry."

All of us laughed, food was distributed, and we spent the rest of the voyage in light-hearted conversation.

We had lost some time after making landfall on Gleeba when a large peckeral and several axolhotls attacked us, but despite the late afternoon desert heat and the difficulty of fighting and walking on sand, we reached the desert kingdom by a quarter until six o'clock.

My first opinion of the city was a good one. Shapely buildings built from light-coloured clay stood about the town. In the centre of a large clear area stood a well, and behind that, situated upon a rise, was a magnificent palace. It was an impressive building.

"Wow," said Sydney. Opal nodded. Then she pointed to something to the right of the well.

"Stores!"

Connor, Sydney, and I laughed as we chased Opal through the city to reach the stores. As we reached a stop beside the armour stall, Sydney said, "Does anyone else feel like we've been shopping an awful lot lately?"

I smiled. "I blame Opal!"

Opal stuck her tongue out at me, then returned her attention to the array of armour and clothing that stood out on racks about the stall. I looked through the wares and chatted offhandedly with the shopkeeper. Eventually, I brought up the fygg.

"A glowing, golden fruit…" he said. "No, I have not heard of such a thing. But perhaps you would do well to go to the Mirage Mahal, the grand palace of Queen Voluptua, and ask if your fruit is there. Many things of wonder reside within the walls of that palace."

Sydney was the only one of us to purchase anything – a light, white summer dress. At the armour shop next door, I found a fan that the shopkeeper dubbed a fowl fan. "It fosters the power of fire in battle," he told me. After a bit of consideration, I purchased it. Opal and Sydney joined me at the register; Opal had an assassin's dagger, and Sydney carried a lightning staff. We sold our old weapons, and then Connor suggested going to the inn.

The rest of us agreed. It was nearly supper time, and all of us were hungry. The snacks on board the _Pride _seemed a long time ago now.

"Greetings!" said the smiling, copper-skinned woman behind the desk. "May I be of assistance?"

"I hope so," Sydney said. "Could we purchase some supper, and rooms for the night?"

"Of course," said the woman, coming out from behind her desk. She led us into a side room where several other guests were dining. "Wait here," she said. "I shall be back out in a moment."

I settled contently into one of the chairs. The only chair on board the _Pride _had been the one behind the oak table in the captain's cabin, and so we had been either on our feet or sitting cross-legged on the wooden decks for the past two hours or so. It was also a relief to be out of the desert sun – even at supper time, the sun here seemed to blaze with more intensity than it had anywhere else.

We tucked in eagerly when the woman brought out the food. It was quite good, though I had not seen its like before. There was chicken that had been covered in some sort of sauce that was both sweet and spicy at the same time, and then roasted. Several chunks of meat and vegetables were speared on small, sharp sticks and cooked. There was a soup made of a type of meat I could not identify and some delicious-smelling herb that I assumed was native to the oasis that stood near the city. It was all wonderful.

When we finished and had put our dishes in the inn's kitchen sink, as the woman had requested, I went back to the desk to speak with her. "Would you tell me where the bath is?" I requested. I felt rather grimy, and I wished to wash off.

The woman shifted. "We do not have a bath here," she told me. "The people of Gleeba have set up a water-rationing system to make the most of what little water Her Selfish Majesty does not use in her private bath, and in order that our guests may keep clean without exceeding our limits, we have only showers."

"Showers?" I asked. My only shower experience was getting caught in showers of rain. I had never heard of a 'shower' in any other context.

The woman nodded. "Yes," she said, "showers. They are all upstairs. Simply choose one that is not occupied, and try not to take long. Queen Voluptua has used too much water already."

I thanked her and joined my companions in heading up the stairs. "Interesting," Sydney said when I told them of my conversation with the innkeeper. "I wonder what she meant be 'Her Selfish Majesty'."

"I guess we'll find out when we go to the palace," Opal said. "Now come on, I want to try out the showers!"

Once I figured out how my shower worked, I found it quite enjoyable. I stood under the water for a moment or two, feeling like I was in a warm summer rain, before I remembered what the innkeeper had asked. Then I raced through it, washing the grime and adolescent grease out of my hair. There had been much more of that since my fall, I reflected. After that, I scrubbed all over with a soap that contained little beads. When I finished with that, my skin felt surprisingly open and smooth. The beads must have been some sort of exfoliator.

I towelled off and put on the blue tunic that I had carried with me my entire journey, which had become my nightdress after I purchased the green tunic in Zere. Then I put my bag and clothes in my room, took out my notebook and pen, and left to join the others in the inn's common room. Fortunately, I was not the only one wearing nightclothes.

The common room was full of chairs and low tables. Sitting on some of the tables were chess sets; on others, checkers; and some others were occupied only by a candle. Connor and Sydney were seated next to a table with a chess set.

"Hello," I said, seating myself near them. "Hi," said Connor, smiling. "Opal still in the shower, then?"

"I suppose so," I said. I opened up my notebook to a fresh page and tapped the end of my pen by my mouth. I wished to draw, but I was not sure what.

After a moment of staring into space, it came to me. I uncapped the pen and set it on the page. Checking to make certain that my drawing would fit, I began to trace out the outlines.

It took work to remember how Connor had been positioned when I had first seen him, behind the weapons shop in Stornway doing his martial artist's form. I was careful drawing the outline, knowing that any mistake would ruin the drawing. After all, there was no way to erase pen. Opal came down and began a game of chess with Sydney.

I did the folds of the cotton pants Connor had worn carefully. Clothing was not an easy thing to represent, as I had learnt over years of learning to draw out of the books of the Observatory's library. But I had learnt how to do it.

I had also learnt how to show the lines in a body, even when they were not clear-cut. My pen traced out the shape of Connor's collar bone and the bending of his joints at his elbows as the common room slowly emptied out. The wiry shape of his chest, stomach, and arm muscles formed under my hand.

When the body was done, I moved on to the head. His expression took shape – focused, but not too fierce. As Opal checkmated Sydney's king, I looked at the brows, then made them slightly thicker. _That is better._

Then I traced out the shape of his hair. It was in the midst of swinging slightly forwards, and one lock was in his face. His ears were mostly covered, but the tip of one poked out.

I did not add much background, just enough to suggest the open area where he had been training. For a moment, I paused, jiggling the pen between my fingers, then I replaced the cap. It was finished.

Sydney, Opal, and Connor all leaned over to look at my drawing. I felt my cheeks warm up slightly when, after a moment, Connor said, "That's…really good. Was this in Stornway?"

I nodded. "It was just before you noticed me."

Connor nodded and looked back at the picture.

"It's really good!" said Opal. "How'd you learn to draw like that?"

"I had much free time before Aquila took me as his apprentice," I said. "I spent it in the library, and there were books with pictures in them. I would often spend much time simply looking at the pictures and sketching small parts."

"I guess you learnt well," Sydney said. I smiled. "Thank you."

Opal looked at the clock that hung on the wall, and her bright eyes widened. "Wow!" she said. "It's pretty late."

I looked up, as well. "It is only eight thirty-five, Opal," I said. "That is not very late."

"We probably ought to get to sleep, though," Sydney said. "Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow? I mean, we are going to be looking for a fygg. That never goes well!"

"Well, all's well that ends good, right?" asked Stella. I looked up in surprise. Seeing the faerie was always a shock. She spent much of her time away now, searching for "old fatguts," and I never knew when she would show up. With a faerie such as Stella, that was not always a good thing.

"I suppose so," I said, not bothering to inform her that the saying was in fact "all's well that ends well." I doubted that she would care...or remember.

I closed my notebook. We stood and stretched slightly. "Perhaps I shall play a bit of chess tomorrow," I said, eyeing the set. Opal and Sydney had put the pieces back where they belonged after their game. "You're quite good, Opal."

She beamed as we headed up the stairs. "Thanks!" she said. "Miss Sally and I would play almost every single day. She always said that focus and stuff helped with martial magic."

"I think chess is really more observation than focus," Connor said.

Opal shrugged. "Observation is important, too. And have you ever actually played chess? If you don't focus on what's happening, you have no chance."

I nodded. "That is true," I said. "I would often play against my master Aquila or the librarian Columba. Any time I got distracted, they would absolutely destroy me." I could not help but smile. I had still never quite managed to defeat either Aquila or Columba, and I had been playing chess since I was fifty – nearly a century. By the time of my fall, I had advanced to the point of incredibly long games that seemed like a stalemate before I was finally checkmated.

We separated for our bedrooms at the top of the stairs. I set my notebook on the bedside table, and opened it up to the page I had just drawn. For several moments, I left the lamp on the table on and looked at the picture.

It surprised me that I had been able to remember how Connor had looked when I had first seen him so clearly. But then, it had not been long ago. Was it truly only ten days since I had first met Connor and the others? Our days had been so full that it seemed as though it were far more. It felt as though it had been over a month since I had fallen, not sixteen days.

We needed more slow, uneventful days, I decided. These action-packed, nonstop days were too much for anyone, even a young Celestrian. I had had almost no time to truly be able to stop and think since I had reached Stornway.

I looked at the picture for several moments longer, then turned out my light. Pulling the covers up, I fell asleep within minutes.

/\*/\

After breakfast the next morning, the four of us moved into the common room and Connor and I set up the board for a game of chess. Opal pulled out a coin. "Call it for white," she said.

"Tails," I said. Opal flicked the coin into the air and caught it on the back of her hand. She checked it.

"Heads."

"Drat," I said, but I was smiling. I sat in one of the chairs and turned the board so that the black pieces were on my side. Connor sat across from me and leaned over the board. "Go!" cheered Opal, as though we were beginning a race.

As Connor was white, he moved first. He jumped his right knight over his pawns and to the left.

I looked over the board. The beginning was always my least favourite part of the game – all you could really do at first was move pieces randomly and hope that the moves you made at the start would not come back to haunt you later. After a moment's thought, I pushed the pawn that was third from the right end of the line forward two spaces.

As the game progressed, I realised that Connor was quite an excellent chess player. When I asked him about it, he told me, "Dad and I played every few weeks after Kathy – my younger sister – was born. And he always said I was good at observation."

The game was not as intense as matches I had played against Aquila nor as focused as those against Columba. During those matches, none of us spoke except to say "check" or "checkmate." This was much more relaxed, and very enjoyable.

The first piece I took was a pawn. My left-side knight took it, leaving the two spaces between the knight and Connor's queen. Then I bit down on my tongue as I realised that I had gained the pawn, but Connor could take my knight. And he did.

Soon after, I took a bishop. Unfortunately, if I moved into a position to attack his king from my own bishop's new position, I would put the bishop in a place where it could be taken by the king. So I did not move.

The game carried on for half an hour. Then and hour. Then an hour and a half. I barely noticed the time passing, engrossed as I was in the game and my conversation with Connor.

Finally, there were only three pieces left on the board: my black-square bishop and king, and Connor's king. We had been chasing one another about the board for ten minutes at least when Connor looked up and said, "How about we agree to a draw?"

I smiled. "That sounds like and excellent plan." We shook hands across the board, then reset the pieces so they would be ready for the next people who chose to play.

"That was quite good," I said as we stood. I stretched luxuriously. "Your father was correct – your observational skills are excellent!"

Connor smiled. "Thanks," he said. He rolled his shoulders. "You're really good, too!"

"Why don't we go to the palace now?" asked Opal. "I want to see it!"

So we headed out of the inn. I was forced to squint when we stepped outside – the sun was ferocious, despite the fact that it was scarcely nine o'clock in the morning. It made me hope that we would not have to spend much time outdoors here. I burnt like a dry leaf in a bonfire.

When we reached the palace gates, the guard put his lance down across the door. "Beyond this gate lies the Mirage Mahal, principal palace of the glorious queendom of Gleeba," he said. "It is a place piled to the rafters with women. Try not to be surprised." When he shaded his eyes to block out the sun, I saw him go red under his coppery skin. "Oh, but I see you are a lady yourself. Forgive me."

I could not help but smile as we went inside, and not just with amusement at the guard. I loved the warmth, but the pounding heat of the desert queendom was too much.

When my eyes adjusted, I was quite impressed by the palace. It was built from the same light clay as the rest of the city, but intricate designs played along the clay bricks. There was a large pool behind a pair of female guards, and the water ran through it from holes cut beneath the floor against the far wall.

After asking several people about the fygg, we found ourselves on the second level of the palace. This was a spacious, light area. A throne was situated between two lioness statues and before a pool of clear water. A worried-looking man with the coppery skin of the Gleebans stood near the throne.

"Excuse us, sir," I said, making my way over to him. He turned, and I asked, "Would you happen to have heard of a golden-hued fruit? You see, it is our intent to recover it."

The man had to think upon it for a moment. "Such a thing was given to Her Majesty Queen Voluptua not long ago." He looked the four of us up and down. "But she will not grant an audience to mere travellers such as yourselves. Unless…"

His eyes had lit up. "Unless what?" I urged.

"We are facing something of a crisis in the palace," he informed us. "If you were to help us to resolve it, perhaps I could arrange to grant you an audience. Well? Will you agree to my request?"

"Sure!" said Opal cheerfully. The man's worried face broke into a smile. "You will? This is most excellent news. Now, let me appraise you of the details…"

He rubbed at his temples. "That muddle-headed maiden Misslei has mislaid His Dryness, Her Majesty's beloved and most golden pet lizard. I wonder, could we call on your most exalted aid in apprehending the errant amphibian? Misslei is searching the corridors of the floor below us. Should you wish to help with the hunt, perhaps you could speak with her. His Dryness's importance to Her Highness cannot be overestimated. I hope ardently that we can count on your assistance."

"You can, sir," said Sydney, and we headed for the stairs.

Misslei was not difficult to find. I heard a girl's shout as we reached the bottom of the stairs, yelling, "Your Dryneeess! Draaaaaak!"

Following the sound of the shouts, we found a skinny girl in her middle teens. She had a frantic look about her, and her lavender-coloured hair was in disarray. "Where are yooooou?" she was yelling. Then she buried her face in her hands. "Oh, what am I to do? It is all my fault!"

"Excuse me," I said, moving towards her. She looked up. Her eyes were quite dark, striking against her lighter skin. But aside from that, her face was rather plain. "Do you need something?" she asked, and I decided that while she may have looked plain, her voice was not. It was musical, even though she was speaking rather than singing. "I am afraid I am a little busy with the hunt for His Dryness, Her Majesty's most beloved pet lizard."

"Are you Misslei?" asked Opal. "The girl who lost him?"

The girl's cheeks reddened. "Well, yes, I am," she said. "Did you have some business with me?"

"We would like to assist you in the hunt for the lizard," I told her. Misslei's face lit up in a smile, and I revised my earlier thought about her plainness. When smiling, she was quite a pretty girl.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Thank you so much." Her hands moved as she spoke. "I am currently searching this area, so if you could hunt for him elsewhere, I would be very much obliged. He despises loud noises, and likes to hide where there are no noisy people around. Were you to go to such a place and make a clap or some such surprising noise, he might well be surprised into the open. I cannot thank you enough for helping in the hunt. You are truly kind."

She made a small bow to us, and then continued in her own Drak-hunt. I looked to my companions. "Where do you think we ought to search?" I asked. Opal shrugged.

"'This area' really could have meant anything," Sydney said. "This corridor, this floor, the entire palace. Maybe we should search outside?"

None of us could thing of a better plan, so outside it was. Once out of the gates, I shaded my eyes and squinted. Had the sun increased its intensity in our short time inside the palace? We had been in there perhaps fifteen minutes and the sun seemed a thousand times worse!

"Let us go to the western side of the palace," I suggested. "There is shade on that side."

I sighed in relief when we reached the shade of the western side. There was nothing much there but for an unusual tree with a bumpy trunk and fern-like fronds as leaves.

"What now?" asked Sydney. I looked around and shrugged. Then I grinned. "This."

I shouted something that even to me made absolutely no sense and clapped my hands loudly. Connor, Opal, and Sydney looked at me oddly, but I saw a small golden lizard with a pinkish-purple bow tied about its neck jump out of the tree. It looked about wildly for a moment, and took off. "There!" I shouted, and the four of us raced after it.

"Connor, around front!" I called. "Opal, Sydney, hem it in!" They did so, and the four of us cornered the little lizard. When I snatched it up, it made a squealing sound. I smiled. "I have you, little one," I told it. The lizard looked up at me and made another squeal, and I had to smile. It was rather cute.

We found Misslei by the pool on the first floor. When she spotted the lizard, her eyes lit up. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Can it be? You found His Dryness?"

Sydney nodded. "He was outside."

Briefly, Misslei's brows drew together, but then her face cleared. "Oh, thank you so much!" she said. "You are truly wonderful! Please, you must inform the Chancellor. He is on the floor above us worrying himself sick."

I smiled. The Chancellor must have been the man who had told us about Drak's status as missing. As we turned to go, I heard Misslei murmur, "But whyever would Drak have ventured into the heat of the outdoors…?"

The Chancellor seemed almost ecstatic when he noticed Drak in my arms. "What is this I see before me?" he asked. "The lizard with you is none other than His Dryness, the right-honourable Drak! You are as good as your words, wanderers! As promised, I will request for you an audience with Her Majesty."

A quarter of an hour later, we stood before the throne. The Chancellor stood to the right facing her, Misslei to the left, and Drak on the left side of the throne. However, my attention was focused mainly on the woman lounging upon the throne.

She was looking away, showing her face in profile. Her lids were painted with a dark violet powder, giving them a heavy appearance. Under the lids, her eyes were a bright sky blue, contrasting with her dusky copper skin. Her nose had a slight, elegant curve to it. She had long, silky smooth hair that was several shades darker and more bluish than my own, which reached down to the bottom of her pelvis.

I had never been self-conscious. In fact, at times I was vain of my looks – the fact that my skin tended to stay fairly smooth, that my figure was slim and supple from years of training. But this woman was almost impossible. It looked as though a skilled sculptor had created her out of copper and set her to life.

The Chancellor spoke. "Your Exalted Majesty, may I present Zera, Connor, Opal, and Sydney, the intrepid travellers who discovered His Exalted Dryness, Drak."

Voluptua looked at the Chancellor. She seemed quite bored. "Do we really have to talk about your boring old travellers right now?" Her voice was smooth, clear, and low. She fixed her gaze on Misslei, and her perfectly shaped brows lowered. "We have more important things to discuss, don't we, pretty Misslei?"

Misslei fidgeted under Voluptua's gaze. She seemed uncomfortable, and I could understand the feeling.

"Now, remind me, Drak hasn't run away before, has he?" Before Misslei could respond, Voluptua answered for her. "No, he hasn't. Which means you must have done something horrible to him, you vicious, spiteful girl! Tell me what you did!"

"Your Majesty, I, I – Forgive me, I was taking the utmost care of His Dryness as always, then suddenly, he was gone…" Misslei was stuttering, stumbling over her words in an attempt to make amends.

Voluptua shook her head, closing her eyes. "Please," she said, "I'm far too pretty and important to sit around listening to pathetic excuses. Run along and pack your things. You're fired."

I narrowed my eyes. From beside me, I heard Connor mutter, "I don't think I've ever seen anyone that conceited!" I nodded quickly, hoping that Voluptua had not heard. I agreed with Connor, but if we did not manage to please the queen, we would not get the fygg.

Misslei was protesting weakly. "B-But please! Your Majesty, I-"

But Voluptua had turned her attention to us now. "Now, what was it you wanted, my little lost travellers?"

Opal and Sydney seemed unable to respond, and I was not sure if Connor would be able to be civil. I was not sure if _I _would be able to be civil. But I responded, carefully: "We are seeking a golden fruit, one that we believe you to have in your possession."

"I see…" said Voluptua, playing absently with a lock of her hair. "So you want me to hand over that lovely golden fruit?" She closed her eyes and looked away, displaying her graceful profile to great effect. "Well, I'd love to, of course, especially as it's you, but I just can't."

"Erm…why?" I asked. I was rather worried about the answer. If it was some mental, selfish reason, I might scream.

"Why, I don't have it, that's why," said Voluptua, curving her lips in a smile.

My eyes widened. "What!" my companions and I all but shouted in the same moment. I felt my voice go up an octave.

Voluptua shrugged her too-perfect shoulders. "I was just slipping out of a lovely, relaxing bath, when I noticed it was gone. Oh, I'm so silly and forgetful sometimes!" She gave a slight laugh, then turned serious and fixed Misslei with a hard glare. "I expect some horrid, jealous girl who works for me probably took it for herself and ate it…"

"Wha – No!" exclaimed Misslei. "Your Majesty, I would never -"

Her protests were cut short. The voice of one of the handmaids drifted up the stairs: "Your Exalted Highness!" it called. "There is something you must see!"

The owner of the voice sprinted into sight and stopped, panting, in front of me. I moved aside to see what was happening. "It was found beneath the tree where His Dryness was recaptured!" She held out the fygg, and my eyes widened.

Voluptua rose from her throne fluidly, visibly surprised. "Oh, look, it's the golden fruit we were talking about!" She looked at Drak, standing calmly beside the throne. "How funny! What on earth was silly old Drak doing with it?" She took the fygg from the maiden, who bowed and left. Then Voluptua looked away. "Well, as long as I've got it back, that's the main thing."

With that, she moved closer to me. She was only a few centimetres taller than me, but the way she held herself and looked at me, I felt about a metre shorter. "So, my intrepid travellers," she said, "I suppose I should hand this over to you, shouldn't I?"

"If you would not mind," I said. I moved my hand out slightly in the hope that she would present us with the fygg.

Voluptua covered her hand with her mouth and let out a high, clear laugh. "Ha ha ha!" she laughed. "Oh, you are stupid, aren't you?" My eyes narrowed, but she did not seem to notice. "You really thought I was going to give it to you, didn't you? Ha ha ha ha!"

She took a moment to get herself back under control, then smiled at me. "No, I'm going to slice it all up into teeny-weeny pieces and put it in my bath water. A fruit like this is bound to make my skin even softer and more beautiful, assuming that's even possible, of course!"

My nostrils flared slightly as Voluptua moved so close to me that there was perhaps an inch of space between us. "I'm sure you won't mind the fruit you've been searching so hard for being sacrificed for such a noble cause."

I clenched my fists and tried to fight down the urge to punch her and see how pretty she looked with her nose broken. Voluptua looked over to her lizard.

"Come on, then, my Drakky-Woo!" she said. "That nasty, dirty traveller touched you, didn't she? Let's get you in the bath and wash off the filth."

She and Drak walked away, leaving me fuming in the midst of her throne room.

* * *

><p>Hello again, all! I hope you enjoyed the chapter - it was pretty fun to write, and I hope it's as much fun to read. I've got to go now, so until next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

_"Come on, then, my Drakky-Woo!" Voluptua said. "That nasty, dirty traveller touched you, didn't she? Let's get you in the bath and wash off the filth."_

_She and Drak walked away, leaving me fuming in the midst of her throne room._

* * *

><p>"Ooh!" I growled, bringing my hands up to my face and squeezing my eyes closed. "I have never seen a woman so self-centred and vain in my life!" My hands moved away from my face and I felt them work as though they were squeezing a throat. I was very glad that Voluptua had left, else I feared that I may have attacked her.<p>

"She's a pain," agreed Connor, taking my hand. I felt his thumb rubbing gentle circles into my palm, and I calmed slightly.

"Ooh, the flapping cheek!" exclaimed Stella, and I had to agree with her. "What kind of a queen is she supposed to be? She's horrible!"

She turned to look at me then. "Oi, sockears, were you even listening? She said she's gonna chop up that fygg and chuck it in her bath! Who knows what'll happen when she starts cooking up a syrup of fyggs in her bathtub? I can't imagine it'll be pretty… We've got to stop her! Quick, get on down to that big room with all the big baths in! Chop, chop!" Seeing our expressions, she added, "And don't tell me to keep my hair on!"

"What big room with all the big baths in?" asked Opal. Stella froze mid-flutter. "Oh, you weren't with me," she said. Then she pumped her fist in the air. "It's me in the lead then! All follow Stella!"

_All follow Stella,_ I thought. _That is not something I would normally do. _

But we followed her all the same.

She led us down to the corridor where we had first spoken with Misslei. A woman guard stood before a door in the centre of the back wall. "There it is," said Stella, gesturing towards the door.

"Thank you," I said. We went for the door, but the guard stopped us.

"This is Queen Voluptua's private bathing chamber."

I could hear voices from behind the door, accompanied by the sounds of splashing. It was Voluptua who I heard: "Are you ready, girls? We're going to chop up this pretty little golden fruit and make me a lovely bath with it. Can you slice it nice and thinly for me and pop it in the water? There's good girls. Hurry up now."

The guard's voice broke through my concentration on the goings-on behind the door. "Thus does our monarch prepare a regal, fruit-infused bath." She smirked slightly. "You are, of course, forbidden to enter."

"What!" exploded Stella. "We aren't allowed in? But if we can't make an entrance, they'll slice the whole flapping fygg to bits!"

We had turned away and begun to leave, and Stella fluttered to catch up. "There's nothing for it," she said. "We'll just have to bend everyone in the castle's ears off till we find someone who knows another way in."

Eventually, we found a handmaiden who had an idea. "Perhaps the suspicious old man who loiters atop the palace will know a way into the Queen's private bathing chamber," she suggested. "Although why I would give you such information, I really don't know." Then she giggled like a schoolgirl. "Tee hee!"

"If you think he's suspicious-looking and you know he's there, why don't you just tell him to get out?" wondered Opal aloud as we headed back up the stairs. I shrugged. "Perhaps they do not think he is a threat."

Our journey upwards ended in a hexagonal room that was split in half by a short metal fence. On the other side of the fence was a red and gold treasure chest. My curiosity was piqued, and I moved to the edge of the fence.

"I am going to see what is in that," I said.

"Whatever it is, it belongs to Voluptua," Connor said, though I could hear the longing in his voice. He wanted to discover what was in the chest as much as I.

I looked back. "She took the fygg," I said, "and quite frankly I believe she has all she needs without whatever is in here." With that, I hopped over the fence and inserted the thief's key into the lock. A small _click_ sounded, and I grinned. Then I opened the lid of the case.

A middling-sized key sat inside. For a moment, I was disappointed, but then I saw the slight glow about the metal. This was not just any key – it was a magic key!

I picked it up and showed it to my companions. "A magic key!" said Sydney. "Amazing!" She was grinning, as were Opal, Connor, and I. "That could come in handy."

"Yes," I agreed. I climbed back over the fence and joined them in leaving the room via the door to the south.

We were forced to loop around the room, and then to the north we found a long pool. A man with a fishing pole sat upon the pool's side. _This must be the man,_ I thought. Opal beat me to asking him about a way in.

"I beg your pardon?" asked the man when Opal finished, turning from the pool. He seemed to truly not have quite heard what Opal had said, so I asked: "Would you know a way into Queen Voluptua's bathing chambers?" I winced at how _wrong _that sounded.

The man scanned our faces, making me shift. He had a piercing gaze. "Hmm…" he murmured. "I can see that you do not seek such a thing lightly. Then I suppose I must impart to you my most secret knowledge."

He gestured to the water of the pool. "The water that flows by us here runs into the very chamber you seek. Were you to immerse yourself in it, you would be swept straight into Her Majesty's most private of chambers." Then he hesitated, looking the four of us up and down. "But I cannot vouch for the safety of such a passage. You may find yourself beaten and bruised after falling such a distance."

I stood slightly straighter. "I once fell from the skies into a waterfall without suffering lasting harm," I said. "I believe I would survive a fall of this magnitude."

Surprise glinted in the man's eyes, and then he smiled. "Well then, I would very much like to see how such a fall can be endured without harm. Show me your mastery of plummeting!"

I moved to the centre of the pool, where there was a larger, diamond-shaped area. And indeed, when I peered down, I could see a hazy image of a room below. I heard footsteps come to a halt to my right, and I looked over to see Connor. I smiled, put my hands on my hips, and let my head tilt to the side. He grinned. "Well, you can't blame a boy for trying!"

I was not the only one to laugh. "Get back, you," I said, and pushed him playfully. He moved away with a dramatic sigh and shot me a mocking look. I laughed again.

Then, after a deep breath, I leapt into the water.

For a half-second, bubbles and streaks of water raced past my eyes, and then I splashed through water. My feet hit solid ground, the air huffed out of my lungs, and for a moment I was doubled over, trying to get air back into me.

As I pulled myself up, I heard a pair of voices screech, "Eeeeeeeeeek!"

I was soaked through already, and I had only been in water for about two seconds. I moved out of the water cascading from the hole and realised that Voluptua was walking towards me, wading through the thigh-deep water. Her hands were on her hips.

"What DO you think you're doing?" she asked, and even angry, her voice sounded too perfect. "How dare you barge in on the divine Voluptua's sacred bath time, you beast!"

_Divine,_ I thought, raising my brows. _Certainly not the word _I _would have chosen. _

"Oh, I see…" Voluptua said, taking in my expression. "You've come to get that silly little fruit back that you seem to care so much about, haven't you?"

She gave a slight smirk as I nodded, letting my eyes narrow. "Aww, poor old you!" she said mockingly – but not in the friendly way that Connor had mocked me earlier. "If only you'd been a little quicker. I'm afraid it's already been sliced up into teeny-tiny pieces."

I heard a noise from behind Voluptua and looked over to see Drak swimming beside the fygg. My eyes widened as I realised what he was doing. The lizard was eating my fygg!

Noticing my preoccupation, Voluptua turned to look at her pet. "Ohh, my Drakky-Wakky-Woooo!" she said, and her voice took on a different tone. It was almost sweet. "Were you scared, my baby? Yes you were, weren't you? Well it's alright now, precious."

But there was no response from Drak. "…Drakky-Poo…?" asked Voluptua, and despite her self-esteem destroying perfection, her confusion made her seem…almost normal.

Then I was distracted. Drak had risen out of the water and begun to glow. The light increased until I had to shield my eyes, and it crossed my mind that this was much like what happened when a spirit went to the light.

When the light faded away, I blinked and looked up. I was not the only one – Voluptua and the handmaidens scattered about the room had been forced to block the light from their eyes. I gasped and scrambled back, then spluttered as the water cascading from the hole poured down upon my head.

I splashed out of the waterfall and looked back at the creature that had been Drak. It was no longer a cute golden lizard. Now, it was an enormous creature, over twice my height, with glowing gold eyes, a bow tied about its neck, and small wings protruding from its back.

"Aiiiieeeeeeeeeee!" screeched Voluptua, and her voice was several octaves higher than normal. She sounded like a terrified teenager. "Aaaaah! My Drakky-Woo! What's happened to you? You've gone all…ugly!"

Ugly was the appropriate word, I decided.

Drak leaned down, and Voluptua screamed, "Heeeeeelp! Heeelp Meeeee!"

And then, Drak scooped the desert queen up in his enormous claws. Voluptua continued to shout and scream as Drak leapt past the handmaidens and me, out of the bath, and down through a well. I was astonished that his enormous girth fit through the well, but only a small part of my mind fixated upon that. The vast majority of my mind was occupied with shock.

For a brief moment, Voluptua's terror had revealed that she was naught but a frightened, lonely girl. And that, combined with what had passed in the few moments since I had jumped, had me frozen in surprise.

It took several moments of staring for me to realise what needed to be done. Then I raced for the door and emerged, panting and dripping wet, in the hall.

My companions stared at me in shock. "Zera, what-?" asked Connor, but  
>I interrupted and raced through my explanation.<p>

"And we must help her!" I said once I had finished telling them what had passed. My brief view of the girl Voluptua truly was had left me shell-shocked and full of a sudden desire to help her.

We raced into the baths and splashed through the water. Then I led the way down the well, climbing down the rope that hung down into it and burning my hands slightly in the process.

The interior of the well extended into what was nearly a maze of corridors.

Partway through the plumbing, I felt a chill on my arm. My stomach lurched, and I spun about to see what was there.

It was a ghost, that of an older, distinguished-looking man in fine robes. My brows knitted together. "Who are you?" I asked. I heard the footsteps of my companions halt, and then return to me.

"I am Aqeus, High Drator, father of Voluptua and former monarch of the lands," the ghost told us. There was a desperate look in his eyes. "Please, wanderers… Heed the words of a father racked with regret… In my life, I sought only recognition as a great king, and gave little thought or time to my poor daughter. Her selfishness, her wilfulness, her inability to relate to others… The blame for these unfortunate traits lies at my door. And I cannot bear to see her live out her life in loneliness, ignorant of the warmth that lies within the mortal heart. Wanderers, you must rescue my daughter, from that beast and from herself… Please, fulfil an old man's final wish…"

"That's our plan," said Sydney. "Don't worry, sir."

I nodded. "We will make sure your daughter comes to no harm."

Aqeus thanked us. And we continued through the plumbed depths.

"Augh!"

Connor's voice made me stop in my tracks and turn about. The muscles of my gut tightened as I realised that there was no sign of anyone behind me. "Connor?" I called. "Opal? Sydney? Where are you?"

I turned to the left as I heard a muffled sound from that direction, but there was nothing there save a wall. My brows knitted together. Perhaps I had imagined the noise.

Then a second noise came from that direction, and this time I could make out Opal's voice. It sounded frightened. I searched the wall, looking for some opening to use to find my companions.

I heard a scuttling sound from behind me, and I whipped around. My heart was beating at quite a pace, and my breathing was rapid and shallow. I drew my fan and scanned the area around me. When a dark shape shot through the shadows in front of me, I thought for a moment that my heart would explode.

At that point, a bony purple shape flew at me from the right. I spotted it out of the corner of my eye, and barely moved in time to keep the monster from crashing into me. As it picked itself up off the ground, I categorised it as a manguini.

The manguini rushed me, and I ran to meet it, fan outstretched to my left. When we were close enough, I swung inward and cut a deep slice into the monster's thin chest. It screeched and exploded.

Then I felt something hit me from behind. I was flung forward. The air rushed out of my lungs as I hit the ground, and I scrambled up and around to find that while I had been occupied with the first manguini, about a dozen more had come out of the shadows. _Of all the tricks to fall for!_

I had not yet managed to regain my breath when the manguinis all rushed at me. Weakly, I raised my hand to shield my face. But to my surprise, the manguinis did not attack me. Instead, they picked me up and leapt into the air, over the wall I had been attempting to get past. Then they dropped me, and I landed flat on my face.

"Zera!" exclaimed Opal's voice from above me. "Guys, over here!"

Hands helped me to sit up as footsteps raced towards me. "What…happened?" I asked, looking up. Connor and Sydney had joined Opal. "I thought that the three of you were behind me. How did you end up here?"

"The manguinis," Sydney said. "I've heard about manguini clans before, but I've never seen one in action until now."

She may as well have been speaking gibberish for all I understood. "Manguini clans are groups of manguinis that work together to catch their prey," Sydney said, seeing my expression.

"Prey," I said. "That, I assume, would be us."

Sydney's nod made my stomach lurch.

"We don't have time to be manguini chow," Connor said. "We've got to get out of here before they can make us a meal."

Opal chewed on her lip. "The wall's too high to climb," she said. "Even for me." That was saying something, I reflected, remembering how she had climbed on Garth Goyle and taken him out.

I stood slowly, looking at the wall. "Perhaps not," I murmured. "Connor, come with me."

We crossed to the wall. "What is it?" Connor asked. I pointed up to a spot that I had noticed further up, where the wall was crumbled and bricks were missing. It did not look particularly sound, but it was better than being eaten by monsters in this Almighty-forsaken sewer.

"I believe that I could reach this if you boosted me up," I said. Connor grinned. "Good thinking, Zera," he said, and crouched down. He laced his fingers together, I stepped onto his hands, and slowly, I moved up the wall. My hands stayed against the bricks for balance as I went higher.

"Go, guys!" cheered Opal, and I grinned. I grasped the edge of the crumbled area and pulled myself up, helping Connor with his pushing efforts. "I have got it," I grunted, and hoisted myself entirely into the hollow created by the crumbled bricks.

Connor helped the others up, and then I kneeled down to pull him up. My heart lurched as I heard the scuttling noise of the manguinis. "Hurry!" hissed Sydney.

"Climb up," I told them, not looking away from Connor. I could see his feet scrambling for a hold on the wall, and my arms felt as though they were popping out of their sockets. "Ungh!" I grunted, and gave a large heave. It was enough to pull him up several centimetres, and somewhere the tips of Connor's shoes found purchase in the wall. He scrambled up, I gave another heave, and then we landed in a heap inside the hollow. Connor's face was about two centimetres from my own, and he grinned. "Hi," he said in a mockingly seductive tone. I shoved him off, laughing. "I do not think you ought to be so forward, sir!" I teased.

Both of us were laughing when we managed to pull ourselves up onto the top of the wall. "What's so funny?" asked Opal curiously. I smiled. "Connor was being silly," I said.

"How do you know I wasn't serious?" Connor asked, elbowing me. I laughed. "I would like to think that I know when you are teasing!"

The four of us made it down the wall and made several random turns to throw off any of the manguinis that may have been searching for us. Soon, we reached an area where there was a hole sunk into the floor. A ladder led down into the hole.

"Let's go," suggested Sydney. "Hopefully, the manguini clan won't follow us down there."

As I reached the bottom of the ladder, I heard Voluptua's terrified voice: "S-Someone help me! I demand to be rescued this instant!"

"Hmm, guess who," said Connor, joining me. I could not help smiling. It seemed that Voluptua's inner girl was hiding again.

When Opal and Sydney joined us, we looked to the right, but that path was blocked. So instead, we circled about to the left. And we saw what we had come searching for.

Drak stood in a slightly more open chamber, looming over Voluptua, who looked absolutely terrified. Then Drak spoke in a hissing, drawn-out, serrated voice.

"My llluscious Vollluptua," he said. "Now I have you alll to myselllf, I can tell you how lllong I have llloved you…"

My eyes widened, and I exchanged shocked looks with my companions. _Love!_

I suppose that some noise must have escaped one of us, for Drak turned to look at us. "Ohhh lllumme, it's you!" he hissed, and it took a bit of willpower to keep from shrinking back. "You're that traveller who lllifted me up and lllugged me back when I was lllaying lllow in that tree!"

The scales on his back rose slightly, like the feathers of an agitated bird. "You nearllly spoillled my plllans to use that fruit to realllise my willldest dreams!" A large pink tongue came out and licked the lizard's yellowish lips. "My animalll instincts tollld me that if I feasted on its flllesh, my body would remodelll itselllf into a fine mortalll form. And how right they were! Just lllook at me!" Drak spread his arms wide. "Am I not the most alluring lllittle fellow you ever lllaid eyes on?" Then he let his arms fall. "It may have worked a lllittle too well, I fear. My darllling Vollluptua seems alllmost too overwhelllmed to lllook at me…"

There was a snort from my right, and I looked over to see Stella looking at me. "Dearie me," she said dryly. "The poor idiot thinks he's turned into a mortal. It's lucky there's no mirror nearby." I smiled, and I heard the others laugh.

Then Drak leaned forwards, and I realised how close we had drifted while he had monologue. He loomed over us, enormous. "Hm?" he asked. "Did you say something?"

When none of us could manage to say anything, Drak snorted. I saw flames flicker in the pits of his nostrils. "Pah, never mind. Telll me, what are you doing here? Have you come to intrude on the greatest llloved that ever llloved: That between my lllordllly selllf and the llluscious Vollluptua?

"You what!" asked Stella. "You've taken a shining to the Queen? But you're a flapping lizard!"

_She certainly does not mince words,_ I thought.

Then my thought was interrupted.

"LLLIES!" roared Drak, and everyone else in the chamber jumped a foot into the air. "I am no lllizard! I am finallly a mortalll, and our llloved can lllive at lllast! I willl not tolllerate these intrusions into our lllove nest! You willl llleave me and my beloved allloooone!"

Stella screeched and raced away as my companions and I readied ourselves. Drak raced at us, but Connor intercepted him halfway and performed his riding-stance-and-punch attack, which I decided then to name Knuckle Sandwich. When Connor was safely out of the way, I cast Crackle and watched the icicle stab into the lizard's golden underside.

Opal followed up my Crackle with one of her own. The icicle her spell produced was clearly larger and more powerful, but that was to be expected – she was, after all, a trained mage.

Drak reared back, opening his maw wide. I had half a second to register the flames flickering in his throat, then I shouted, "Behind your shields!" and pulled Connor to duck behind mine as a torrent of fire enveloped us. I could feel the blistering heat from the flames on every bit of exposed skin I possessed, and I caught a whiff of burnt hair.

When the flames cleared, we straightened up and Sydney cast something that briefly enveloped me in a soft light. "It'll protect you from breath attacks," she told me. I smiled. "That will be useful in this battle!"

Connor cast Wind Sickles then, and Drak roared as the air slashed into his hide. Opal and I cast Crackle in quick succession, and then Drak hopped forward and raked his claws down my front. I skipped back, but not quite quickly enough to avoid the entire blow. His claws scored lines down my chest, scratching my breastplate and into the skin of my chest between the plate and my skirt.

A groan escaped from between my gritted teeth, and Sydney came over. "Here," she murmured, moving my hands away from my wounds and healing them. I sighed in relief when the scratches closed up. "Thank you."

I looked up in time to see Drak's eyes flash at Sydney. _Oh, no_ I thought. Before Drak could attack, however, Connor struck out at him with a quick jab. I cast Crack quickly, and Opal followed with Bang. But then it was Drak's turn, and I could see that our attacks had not swayed him. He was still angry at Sydney.

He leapt at Sydney, who was just an instant too slow to evade his claws. Sydney's breath whooshed out of her lungs audibly, and I could see the rips in her dress. Within moments, the red was spreading across the soft white cloth.

"Sydney!" said Connor. He began to move towards her, but I waved him away. "I will take care of her!" I only hoped that I had enough magic left to heal her.

As Connor attacked the lizard, I moved over to Sydney and worked to muster what little magic I had left. _Heal,_ I thought, putting my hands over Sydney's wounds. _Heal, for Almighty's sake! _But I did not have the magic left to cast the spell.

I reached into Sydney's bag and pulled out several medicinal herbs. Crushing them, I spread the powder they produced into Sydney's wounds, and then thrust the magic that I still had into the herbs. A blue light shone from the powder, and I continued thrusting power in, even when I knew that my magic was gone.

"Zera, stop it!" called Opal, grabbing my arm. "You're going to do more harm to yourself than help to Syd!"

I obeyed Opal's pulling and stopped pouring myself into the herbs and wounds. Then a sudden rush of exhaustion overtook me, and I slumped against Opal. "Woah, don't go to sleep yet," came Connor's voice. I wanted to listen, but I was so tired, and my lids were so heavy…

Then I heard Sydney. "…What…what's going on?"

"Zera just did something stupid," said Opal. "I'm not sure what it's going to do to her."

"What did she do?" asked Sydney.

"She was out of MP, and she used medicinal herbs on you," Connor explained, "but she kept pushing power into trying to heal you. And I think she's going to pass out, or something. Zera!"

My lids opened about a millimetre. "I'm tired," I murmured. There was an exasperated sigh from Connor. "Blast it. Opal, Sydney, I don't know a thing about magic – what's this going to do to her?"

"I'm not sure," admitted Opal. My eyes drifted closed again, and I felt someone shake me. "Zera, I'm serious, don't go to sleep!" came Connor's voice.

"I'll wake up later," I murmured. I wanted to listen to Connor, I would try to do nearly anything to make him happy, but my eyelids felt like lead and I was exhausted. I simply could not remain awake.

"What…is this…my faulllt?" came the hissing, drawn-out voice of Drak, and my lids almost opened again.

"No," said Connor shortly. Tired as I was, I almost smiled. His voice was nice even when he was irate. "My dear friend here is just an idiot. Zera!" He shook me. "Please, don't go to sleep, I don't know if you'll wake back up!"

That alarmed me vaguely, but the alarm faded away after a moment. I did not feel like being awake right now, but surely I would at some point. I would wake up then…

"Blast it, Zera, stay awake!" Connor all but shouted. "Opal, where are you going?"

"To find help," I heard Opal say. "There's bound to be someone in the queendom who'll know what to do with this."

I relaxed into the pair of arms that was holding me now that Opal was gone. "Hi, Connor," I murmured, but the words were garbled and I was not sure he understood.

"Hi," he said. "Don't go to sleep, Zera. I love you."

My lips curved slightly. "I love you too," I sighed.

Something brushed my hair away from my forehead. I assumed vaguely that it was Connor's hand. "Come on, sweetheart, just stay up until we find out what this is going to do to you," he said. When all I did in response was to snuggle into him, I heard him sigh.

"Maybe this'll keep you awake," Connor muttered, and then I felt his fingers under my chin. They moved slightly, giving me a tickling sensation. I felt myself smile. The tickling increased, and my smile broke into a tired laugh.

"You're ticklish, then?" asked Connor, and I heard amusement in his voice. He continued tickling me, and my laughter increased. I heard Connor laugh, too, and Sydney as well.

Then, to my shock, I heard a laugh from behind us. It was lower in pitch than my own, but it was clearly the laugh of a woman. Even I twisted about to look.

Voluptua's hand was in front of her mouth, but it did not block the entirety of her smile. Her eyes did not seem lidded so heavily, simply pushed up slightly from the bottom in one of the loveliest smiles I had ever seen. She laughed again, and then to my shock, I heard a snort.

That set all the rest of us who were in the room laughing. Even I, exhausted as I was, could not help laughing. To think that this impossibly beautiful woman snorted when she laughed!

"What is the amusement?" asked a musical voice from the other part of the chamber. We looked over to see Misslei and Opal hurrying towards us.

"This," said Connor, and I felt him tickling me again. I giggled, and when he began tickling me harder and along my sides, I shrieked with laughter. One thing was for certain: I was not tired any more. I heard six laughs, one of which snorted every time air came in.

"That may be better remedy for spell exhaustion than the one I know!" exclaimed Misslei's musical voice.

"Is that what this is called?" Sydney asked.

Misslei nodded. "Opal described to me the occurrences and symptoms. I recognised it immediately. But it may be that my remedy is not necessary now!"

It was about then that the adrenaline from Connor's tickle attack began to wear off, and my eyes drifted closed again. Connor sighed. "I think it will be."

I heard Misslei laugh. "Here," she said, and I heard footsteps approaching. "Eat this, Zera, and then sleep. Rest and hearty food is the best way to recover from spell exhaustion." Something metal touched my lips, and I moved them open to receive a mouthful of something rather plain-tasting. "It is not exactly tasteful," said Misslei, "but my father told me that a few spoonfuls of this can keep a man on his feet for half a week."

I swallowed the mouthful of food, then felt myself drift off.

Strangely, in the soft blackness of my spell exhaustion-induced sleep, I could hear things. It was not until later that I learnt that the words had actually occurred during my sleep.

It was Drak who spoke first. "Mortallls do not lllaunch great big flllames from their mouths, do they… I reallly did not become one… Stilll, it matters not. I cannot allow myselllf the llleisure of defeat. I cannot lllet my Vollluptua be taken back there… She must not return to the Mirage Mahalll… It is full of llliars and disllloyalll worms. I willl die before I allow it…!"

I did not feel surprised. Being asleep seemed to keep me from feeling any real emotions. I heard sounds like weapons being drawn, and then Misslei's voice.

"Please! Wait! Please, travellers, you must wait! You must not harm His Dryness any further… Without him, there would… There would be no one with whom our Exalted Majesty could share her deepest thoughts and feelings!"

"But-" said Voluptua's voice. "Misslei, why? Why would you do this for me after I was so horrible to you?"

"I cannot lie," said Misslei, sounding slightly ashamed. "I saw you, Highness. I saw you crying as you spoke to His Dryness… You told him you were ashamed of your selfishness… That you were lonely without your esteemed parents. I only wished that you had been able to share such feelings with us, your handmaidens, also. Perhaps if it were so, you could become a different person, and…"

"Misslei…" murmured Voluptua.

"I feelll so foolllish…" said Drak. "If I had onllly stopped to see that there were kindllly soullls such as Misslllei in the palllace… But, lllump-headed lllizard that I am, I tried to take her from the one plllace fulll of peopllle who care about her. Travelller…"

Drak's voice became louder, as though it had drawn closer to me. "I can smell that you are not mortalll either… And you seem to know a lllot about the golllden fruit. I do not relllish its power any lllonger. I lllong to return to my lllizardllly for and lllive happillly by Vollluptua's side. I relllinquish the fruit to you, traveller. I can lllive happillly knowing that Vollluptua has llloyalll lllaidies lllike Misslllei beside her."

The darkness of my sleep lit up with a soft golden glow, and I felt warmth spread through me. "Thank you, celllestialll travelller…"

Then I heard Voluptua's voice. "Drakky-Woo! I always knew you were watching out for me! Weren't you, my Drakky-Wakky-Woo!"

And I sank into a far deeper sleep, one where the voices of those around me could not reach.

/\*/\

When I finally awoke for the last time, I lay in a soft bed. Connor sat in a chair next to me, and when my eyes opened, he smiled. "Good afternoon," he said. I smiled back. "Good afternoon to you as well, Connor," I replied.

I had woken several times before, but never for very long. At first, it had been only for a few moments, just enough to eat a few spoonfuls of food. Later I had been able to stay up longer, and even walk a bit, but I had been quite weak. It was only this time that I felt energised again.

"Sydney and Opal are in the library," Connor told me. "Voluptua's been eager to talk to us – when we're all coherent." I smiled. Several times, Voluptua, Drak (tiny once again), or Misslei had been in to visit me when I awoke. However, I had been unable to speak for more than a few moments. "We can meet up with them there and then head to the throne room."

"Let us," I said, pushing the covers off of me. Connor and I both smiled as my stomach growled. "The kitchens have been working overtime the past three days," Connor said. "Voluptua gave all of us rooms here, and Opal…well, she's been Opal."

I laughed. "Perhaps we could stop by there on the way to the library."

When we reached the library, I was munching on a leg of chicken that had been grilled in some type of herbal sauce. It was quite good. Opal and Sydney were sitting at a table in the midst of the books.

"Zera!" Sydney said, looking up and seeing us. "Glad to see you're awake. Connor wouldn't let anyone else take care of you, so we couldn't even go in to see if you were okay."

I looked at Connor, who smiled sheepishly. "I was feeling protective."

I smiled. "I did the same thing when we were in Coffinwell," I assured him. "Do not feel foolish."

All of us laughed, and then Opal said, "So let's go see Voluptua! I haven't really talked to her since we left the well, and I want to see if she's changed at all."

Up in the throne room, we were oriented in much the same manner as before – Misslei, the Chancellor, and even Drak, who was small and cute once more. He gave me a little nod and a _krr_ sound when I looked at him. Voluptua stood before us. She was still painfully beautiful, but it was no longer a disdainful beauty. There was a kind, sincere smile upon her face.

"It's good to see you all," said Voluptua. She looked at me. "I'm glad you're up and about, Zera." I smiled back at her.

"Thank you so much for saving me, all of you," Voluptua continued. "…And risking your lives for me. I always thought that no one really cared about me. That's why I was so horrible to everyone. But I realise after what happened…"

She sighed, turned away, and walked back towards her throne. She did not turn back to us before continuing.

"I was wrong… Misslei, Drak… There are all kinds of people – and creatures – who care about me." With that, she turned back to face us, and her smile was there. "Thank you so much. I'm so looking forward to working together with everyone to make our country the happiest in the world." I could hear the sincerity that rang in her every word.

"I wish you luck with it," I said. Voluptua nodded her thanks.

"If you – if any of you – are ever nearby, please come and visit Gleeba again," Voluptua said then. "Drak and I will welcome you with open arms."

"Thank you," said the four of us in synchronisation.

For a time longer, we spoke. They all – excepting the Chancellor, who had not been there – told me that the words I had heard in my sleep had in fact happened. In order to convince me, Sydney took out the four fyggs we had already collected, then the fifth one that we had obtained from Drak. "It just floated over to you when Drak became small again," Opal said. "And then you sort of snuggled up to it, like it was a stuffed animal or something. It was cute!"

I touched the fygg and felt the warmth spread through me. I smiled. Connor took my hand. "I think our next stop is Batsureg," he told me. "We've been working on that while you were out."

I looked at Voluptua. "Thank you for letting us stay here while I recovered," I said, "but we must go soon. We must continue on our journey."

"Of course," said Voluptua. "We hope we'll see you again sometime!"

And thus we continued on our journey.


	14. Chapter 14

Half an hour after our audience with Voluptua, we were back at sea. Sydney was at the helm of the _Pride_, a place none of us desired to contest. She was a natural with the ship, and it made her happy to be at the wheel. But this time, as our chosen landing spot in the Urdus Marshland was so close by and the ship was already explored, the rest of us remained on the quarterdeck with her after positioning the sails properly.

Sydney adjusted our course slightly. "Why did you do it?" she asked, not taking her gaze away from the sea before us. I exchanged glances with Connor and Opal, and the three of us simultaneously, "What?"

Sydney took her eyes off the sea and looked at me. "Why did you exhaust yourself like you did?" she asked. "The herbs would have healed me."

I grimaced. In truth, I was not quite sure of the exact reason I had thrust myself into the healing. The only thing I could put into words was, "You are my friend. I could not let the herb do all the work. And you were quite badly injured – I do not know if the herbs would have worked." As the words came out, I decided that they were indeed the only reason I had done so. My head was much clearer now than it had been half an hour before, and the things that had been muddled – how many days had passed, what had occurred – were also much clearer.

My stomach growled, and all of us laughed. "You ate a chicken leg all of half an hour ago!" exclaimed Connor. "How can you be hungry?"

"I have been more hungry of late," I said, shrugging. "And I suppose I used a fair amount of energy to exhaust myself to the point of a three-day slumber. Is there anything on board?"

"Of course," Sydney said. "There's plenty of food in my bag." She dug through the bag one-handed, glancing up every few seconds to make certain we stayed on course. Then she pulled out several slices of cheese and a few apples. She handed them to us, and I was surprised to find the cheese cold. Perhaps in addition to an expansion spell, there was also a spell upon the bag to keep the items inside cold. There was much to wonder about when it came to Sydney, even now that we knew her origins.

It was about five o'clock when we moored on the southern banks of the Urdus Marshland. We had been delayed by a current that Sydney said brought warm weather to the marsh and to Gleeba, but at the time simply fought our progress. The moment I stepped off the _Pride, _my foot sank ankle-deep into a mixture of thick mud and water, and I grimaced. The mud made a sucking noise when I pulled my foot out, and it almost kept my sandal.

"This is lovely," I said, trying to sound as offhand as possible. Connor snorted, and Sydney said, "Ugh!" as she pulled up one of her feet to discover that her shoe had remained in the mud. "Yuck."

"How is this place so wet when Gleeba's a desert?" asked Opal, looking around. Sydney straightened from her shoe retrieval and pointed at the mountains that rose up to the north. "Those mountains catch the clouds," she explained. "The rain all falls here and on the Iluugazar Plains, but the clouds never quite make it across the channel to Gleeba. They also block the warm weather from the plains and from the area around Swinedimples."

_Wonderful,_ I thought. I was not at all one for the cold, and soon we would be heading into at least a slight chill. I sighed, and we began trudging through the muck of the Urdus Marshland.

I soon grew tired, as we were forced to yank our feet out of the mud to take each step, and the air was thick and humid. The pools of stagnant water that stood scattered about the marsh were breeding grounds for mosquitos and other, more unusual, biting bugs. Within about five minutes, I was covered with itchy red bumps, and others that hurt when I tried to scratch at them. My skin was red from the many times I had slapped at it to kill the things.

It was a relief when Sydney pointed ahead to a pass between the mountains, not far off. Clouds were gathering overhead, and there were stumpy trees in the pass that would provide shelter in case they unloaded their soaking cargo on top of our heads. Besides, with any luck, the bugs would disperse up there.

The rain broke loose just as the ground began to dry out. "Blast it!" yelped Opal, and we raced up the slope for the nearest trees. Unfortunately, those were half a kilometre away at the least, and the slope was growing steeper. My breath was coming in gasps soon, and by the time we reached the tiny clump of trees, I was exhausted.

We slumped down beneath the scanty cover, soaked, tired, itchy, and aching. The ground had been sloping gradually upwards ever since we had landed, and by that point we were at least nine hundred metres above the level of the sea. The sun's disappearance behind the clouds, the rain, and the wind that had sprung up combined to make me as chilly as though it were early March rather than May.

Connor put an arm around me, and I snuggled into him, even more for the warmth than simply for being close to him. Then I gestured to Opal and Sydney. "Come," I said. "We will all need to keep warm." They joined us in the huddle.

All of us jumped when lightning flashed not far off, accompanied by a crash of thunder. I cursed. "This is simply perfect," I muttered. Sydney sighed. "With any luck, it'll be over soon," she said to the world in general. "Summer storms are supposed to be short and sweet."

"I'm not sure I would call this summer, though," Connor said. "It's only May fourth, after all."

"May fourth?" I asked, not thinking. "But we – oh. I forgot, I slept through three days." It had been May the first when we had gone down to assist Voluptua; of course it would be the fourth now. I felt my face warm up.

I put my head onto Connor's shoulder and closed my eyes. It was nice under the trees; they stopped most of the wet, and the sound of the rain was peaceful. The rain smelled nice, as well, and even though we all smelled damp and slightly sweaty, Connor's scent was still there. It was quite lovely – until the next peal of thunder shook the ground and we all leapt out of our skins. We all laughed, and continued on through the storm.

It was half an hour before the rain finally stopped. We untangled ourselves from the knot we had made to keep warm, stretching and moving about. I felt part of my back pop slightly as I stretched towards the sky.

There was a growling sound to my left, and I looked about in alarm, but there was no one there save Opal...and her ever-empty stomach. I had to laugh. "What?" she asked indignantly. "It's six thirty at least! Suppertime, by my clock."

"All the time is suppertime by your clock," said Sydney, "seeing as how _this_ is your clock." She poked Opal in the stomach, and Opal laughed.

"It is suppertime, however," I said. "Do you have any food in that eternally expanded satchel of yours?"

"Of course," Sydney replied, grinning at my choice of words. She pulled out a middling-sized loaf of bread and a chunk of meat. "Opal, how clean is your knife?" she asked, closing the bag. Opal pulled her knife out of her belt and examined it. "It could be cleaner," she said, shrugging. "But it's not covered in monster guts or anything."

Sydney made a face, but then shrugged. "I suppose it'll do," she said, sighing. "I saw you cleaning it this morning, anyway. Supper, anyone?"

Opal took the meat and bread, and I helped her to slice it up. We made small bread-and-meat concoctions out of the slices and ate them as we continued on through the pass.

It was nearly an hour before the path sloped down slightly and the mountains levelled out into the Iluugazar Plains. Some five kilometres away, a small patch of lights flickered in the growing darkness. The sun was sinking later each day, but it had already set behind the western mountains, and possibly below the horizon. There was a chill to the air, but I did not know if it was because of the night or because the mountains had already blocked off the warm weather from the current. I shivered, and Connor put an arm about me. "You ought to get something more substantial to wear while we're here," he said. "The dress looks good on you, but it's not practical for this sort of climate."

"You are right," I said, shivering again.

"Here," said Sydney, and I looked over to see her holding out a blazer. I was fairly certain that it was red, though I could not tell for sure. "Just button it on over your breastplate. It's part of my uniform from Swinedimples, so it's really warm."

"You still have your uniform?" asked Opal. Sydney nodded, and I relaxed as I slipped my arms through the sleeves of the blazer. Sydney was right; it was quite warm.

Connor rubbed my arm. "Better?"

"Much," I said, smiling.

Perhaps a quarter of an hour after eight o'clock that evening, we reached the nomad village of Batsureg. Several people gave us odd looks. Clearly, youths such as us were not common sights in that area.

I looked about in interest. The houses were not, in actual fact, houses. Rather, they were circular tents with colourful stripes. Many of the openings were rolled up, despite the relative lateness of the hour, and there were families sitting on mats outside the tents, skinning the day's catch, cooking, socialising with the other families of the village. A half dozen or so children were running through the pathways made by the tents, chasing after a cat.

One dark-haired little girl nearly ran into me, and looked up. "I apologise, traveller," she said in a sweet voice. "I hope you are with forgiveness?"

Her manner of speech was odd, but it was closer to that of my people than the speech of any other place in the Protectorate – except perhaps Gleeba. "Of course," I replied, smiling.

A responding smile broke out on the girl's face, causing her narrow dark eyes to crinkle nearly shut. She was quite cute, I decided, as she raced off to join her friends in their pursuit of the cat.

I laughed at the sight. "They're cute, aren't they?" asked Sydney. "I always liked little kids. They're so frank. Not like adults at all."

"Greetings, travellers," came from several tents, along with polite nods. We returned both the nods and the greetings as we wandered about the village, exploring.

Then, at eight-thirty, I jumped at the sound of a hunting horn. People were gathered on a rise in the centre of the village, and those who had been scattered about were drifting to the centre, as well.

"Come, travellers," said a rather handsome dark-haired and –eyed boy as he passed us. "This is the evening meal of the community. All who live in our village come to eat at this time. I am with certainty that you have not eaten in some hours."

"You'd be correct," said Connor. We followed the boy to the centre of the village, where the nomads were gathered about a circle of foods – meats, stews, and a small amount of greens. There were carved wooden bowls stacked at several points in the circle, and the nomads were taking them and filling them with the food.

The boy gave us a smile and said, "Simply take a bowl and fill it with whatever you wish." With that, he took a bowl of his own and began to mingle with the crowd. I looked to my companions.

"Second dinner sounds good," said Opal, and followed the boy into the throng of villagers. Connor, Sydney, and I laughed. Then my stomach rumbled, and I laughed again. "Shall we?"

We joined the nomads in their meal. They were quite friendly to us, and seemed interested in hearing about our travels. Sydney and Opal appeared and disappeared throughout the meal, but Connor and I stayed with one another for most of the time. At one point, I saw Opal surrounded by the children of the village, and from the snatch I heard, I deduced that she was telling an old faerie story about an evil witch and a warrior princess. I had heard the story many times in the evenings while I watched over Angel Falls, and I could not help smiling. The children seemed captivated.

I sang the Right Knight ditty and other songs several times, whenever one of the nomads would ask. Some who Connor and I had not spoken to asked, from which I decided that either Opal or Sydney – perhaps both – had talked about the knight and perhaps also about my singing in the seaport town.

Later that evening, the young man who had invited us to the meal stood. Almost immediately, the nomads quieted down and turned their attention to him. Clearly, the boy had some influence among the nomads, despite his youth – at most he was perhaps seventeen.

"Greetings to all of you," he said. There was a murmur of response. Then, the boy gestured towards where Connor and I stood, to where I could see Sydney's silky blue hair through the gaps in the crowd, and towards where I assumed Opal was, though I could not see her. "Would our guests consent to join me and introduce themselves to our humble village?"

We each made our ways through the crowd of nomads to join the boy. I smiled politely at the throng of faces, pale in the moonlight, all facing us. Sydney was smiling, too, and Opal was, naturally, beaming. Connor looked vaguely panicked, like a deer caught in a sudden flash of light. I held back a laugh at the sight, knowing it would be tactless. Instead, I rubbed my thumb gently on the back of his hand. I felt the hand relax slightly.

We introduced ourselves to the nomads at the boy's request. Connor's introduction was in a quiet, almost choked voice. It sounded more like Sydney's voice than Connor's usual confidant manner of speech. I smiled, thinking, _who would ever have thought that Connor fears speaking in front of large groups?_

Fortunately for Connor, the meal ended soon after and the nomads dispersed. We made our way to the village's inn, a larger tent just to the east of the rise. I yawned loudly as we entered. Then Opal yawned, then Connor, then Sydney, and then each of us yawned again.

"Someone look away," said Opal, giggling through another yawn. "They're contagious, you know!"

We each looked a different direction, and the chorus of yawns soon subsided. The innkeeper told us that all of the rooms were free, and so we set ourselves up in side-by-side rooms.

"Goodnight, Connor," I murmured when Opal and Sydney had retired. Connor pulled me into an embrace, and we stood that way for a moment. I turned my face so I could breathe in the scent of him, and I could feel Connor rest his head upon my own. "You make me feel short," I murmured, smiling.

Connor laughed. "My work here is done," he whispered, and I looked up to see his grin. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

I smiled at the endearment. Then, after a moment, we pulled apart and retreated to our separate rooms. My dreams that night were interwoven with Connor's smile and tinged with his scent.

When I awoke the next morning, I lay in bed for several moments before realising that there was an ache in the back of my throat. I swallowed, wondering if it was due to thirst. Or perhaps it was a result of my singing the previous night.

Sydney was the only one already awake when I wandered out to the inn's common room. "Morning," she yawned. Remembering our yawning the night before, I smiled. "Good morning to you, as well."

The table was quiet for a time as we ate – and, in my case, drank. Soon it became evident that my throat ache was not a result of thirst, nor of singing – had it been either of those, the goat milk and water would have soothed the ache. _What could it be, then?_ I wondered. I certainly could not be sick; Celestrians did not fall prey to illness. It was the only reason I had lasted as long as I did when we fought the Ragin' Contagion.

I mentioned it to Sydney, regardless. Connor joined us at the table as Sydney said, "It sounds like a cold, or maybe strep throat."

"What does?" asked Connor.

"I have a throat ache," I replied. Then I looked to Sydney. "Are you certain?"

Sydney shrugged. "I can't be entirely sure," she said, "not without some sort of medical check-up. But a throat ache that doesn't disappear after water or milk isn't just thirst or voice exhaustion."

This was all exceedingly strange.

I thought back to my menstruation, and about the pimples that had grown all too common over the past few weeks. Now I was ill, even if it was simply some small ailment such as a cold. None of these things happened to Celestrians, except perhaps the pimples. But even those did not plague my kind as much as they did mortals in the midst of adolescence.

It was, in a word, impossible. And yet it was happening. I did not know how, or why, but somehow I was becoming more like a mortal. Swallowing, I felt the ache in my throat again, and made a face.

Sydney rose as Opal joined the table. "What, do I smell?" asked Opal, grinning. Sydney smiled. "Yes, you do," she said, smiling. "I'm joking, I'm joking! Zera's got a sore throat, and I'm going to ask the innkeeper for a mug of tea to help soothe it."

She walked off, and Connor looked at me. "Have you never had a sore throat before?" he asked, seeming incredulous. I shook my head, causing him to laugh. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I am not," I replied. "Celestrians do not grow ill as easily as mortals. I have never been sick before in my life."

Opal stared, a bemused expression upon her face, and Connor rolled his eyes. "I'm beginning to think it would be worth the stifling politeness and formality to be a Celestrian," he said. I folded my arms, putting an offended expression upon my face. "Are you making fun of my people?" I asked teasingly.

"No, of course not," Connor said. He grinned. "I'm just saying the truth!"

And I had to join in with the laughter that followed. I was a Celestrian, but I could not act as though I were offended by Connor's comments. I could not begin to count the many times I had thought the same things myself.

But even so, I said, "Do not make fun of them." When Connor began to apologise, looking abashed, I smiled. "That is my prerogative, and you cannot take it from me!"

The laughter after this lasted longer.

Sydney returned to the table with a mug of something that was steaming with heat, and looked at us oddly. "What did I miss?" she asked, sitting and passing me the mug. When we tried to explain, we simply began laughing again.

Eventually, Sydney gave up on us. "There's lemon and honey in the tea," she told me, shaking her head at us. "It should help soothe the ache."

"Thank you," I said, raising the mug to my lips and taking a small sip of the steaming liquid. I made a face at the flavour. I had never been much for tea, and even with honey the taste was not much improved. But it did seem to help my throat, so I drank without complaint.

As we nursed the remainder of our breakfast, we discussed what step to take next. Opal was all for going to the shops, to ask the shopkeepers about the fygg. No ulterior motive was involved, of course. We laughed at that.

Sydney suggested perhaps simply asking after the fygg around the village. If any of the fruits had landed here, surely one of the nomads would have come across it at some point – and there would be more chance of finding it if we spoke to more people than just the shopkeepers. Opal whistled unconvincingly when this was said, causing all of us to laugh.

When our food was finished and what was left of my tea had grown cold, we left the inn to ask around. However, the village seemed half deserted. Only children and a scarce few adults – men and women alike – were left inside the rickety fence that marked the village boundaries. Looking out to the plains, I could see the forms of the men and women who had left. They had gone hunting.

We did eventually end up at the weapons and armour shops, but we found nothing of interest in the way of information, and little more in the way of wares. I did find a violet fan with jagged yellow streaks, reminiscent of lightning, that the shopkeeper dubbed a cobra fan. The owner of the armour shop allowed me to have an old fur cloak that I found on a shelf in the back for free, so I was able to return Sydney's blazer to her.

When we exited the shop, I looked around the village. "There is only one place we have not asked about the fygg," I said, pointing. "There."

My focus was upon a particularly large tent at the northwestern edge of the village. It sat upon a rise above the one where we had gathered to eat the night previous.

"Isn't that the chief's tent, though?" asked Opal. We turned to look at her in surprise. "Is it?" asked Sydney. Opal nodded. "Yeah. One of the nomads told me last night. She said that a powerful good witch resides there with the chief, named Saran-something. I don't remember exactly – it was a really long name, and a weird one, too."

"Interesting," said Connor. I nodded. "It does sound so," I agreed. "Perhaps Saran-witch can assist us in finding the fygg."

"It's worth a shot," agreed Sydney. I pulled my new-old cloak tightly around me as we walked towards the tent. A chill wind had sprung up. The cloak was warm, but I decided that it had a drawback: With it pulled around me, I could not put my hand out to hold Connor's. So I simply walked as close to him as was practical.

It was a relief to enter the tent. The thick cloth of the walls blocked the wind's passage, making it nearly warm within.

A dark man sat in a throne before us. To his right – our left – stood a tall woman in a long veil that covered all of her face but for her startlingly green eyes. In her hands was a staff. The woman held my interest for a moment – those eyes were strangely fascinating – but then the man spoke, and I turned my attention to him.

"I am the tribe chief, Batkhaan," he said. "You must be the visitors from the land across the seas." It was a flat assumption, no question. I nodded in assent. Then I was distracted. The woman's vivid eyes were fixed upon me, and her brows were slanted in a way that I could not read.

"Intriguing…" she murmured, not looking away when I met her eyes. "An intriguing character. Greetings. I am Sarantsatsral. How are you called?"

She seemed to be speaking exclusively to me. It was unnerving, but I revealed none of that in my answering introductions of the four of us. Sarantsatsral's eyes did not leave my face the entire time I spoke.

"Ah, you are called Zera?" she said when I finished. "And what brings you to the great plains, Zera?"

Her complete ignorance of my companions irked me. "My companions and I," I said, putting emphasis on the former, "have come in search of a shining golden fruit."

I seemed to have hit upon a subject that caused her discomfort. Her eyes widened, then narrowed, then finally left my face as she answered, "I…I know of no such thing." It made me curious that she had been the one to speak most, rather than Batkhaan. He was, after all, the chief; should he not be doing the majority of the talking?

Batkhaan looked to the suddenly shifty woman by his side. "What troubles you, Sarantsatsral?" he asked, his thick dark brows knitting together. "It is unlike you to react so. Has this careless traveller given you offence?"

With that, he looked to me. There was an angry expression upon his face. "The conversation is concluded. We are with no knowledge of such a fruit. Leave us."

"Your forgiveness, please," said Sarantsatsral, still not quite meeting my eyes. "The chief is a man with much business to attend. Perhaps you will visit again soon…"

She trailed off as a vaguely familiar voice drifted in from outside the tent. "Father, you summoned me?" it called.

Batkhaan sighed as we turned. A boy with dark hair and eyes entered the tent, and I realised why the voice had been familiar. It was the boy who had invited us to eat with the nomads the previous night! He was the son of the chief?

"Your lack of punctuality brings disrespect upon your father, Batzorig," said Batkhaan, in a voice that suggested that this was not the first time Batzorig had been late. "Where have you been?"

"Forgive me," said Batzorig. "I was thinking on many things, and time escaped me." He approached the throne, and we moved to get out from between him and his father. Something told me that it might not be the safest place to stand.

"It is good that you busy yourself with such ruminations," said Sarantsatsral, fixing Batzorig with the same piercing green stare that she had pinned me with earlier. "It is fit for a future chief to be with great consideration."

Batzorig looked to Sarantsatsral. "I thank you, Sarantsatsral," he said. "Only you speak such kind words to me."

Batkhaan cleared his throat in what was clearly an attempt to return the conversation to himself. "In any case, Batzorig, it is I who have summoned you here. You know, of course, of the beast that has attempted to harm me."

_Beast?_ I wondered. _What beast?_

"I wish for you to hunt it down and destroy it," Batkhaan continued. "You are the son of a chief. Such tasks are fitting to one of your standing." He was fixing Batzorig with a stare to rival Sarantsatsral's.

Batzorig squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. "Of course, Father," he said. "I will honour your name and hunt the beast as you request." He hesitated for a brief moment, and I saw him bite his lip. "But to carry our such an undertaking requires careful preparation. Allow me some time before I am to set out."

Batkhaan began to nod, but he was interrupted by a voice from outside the tent. "Everybody!" it yelled. "Come quickly!"

All of us in the tent turned to look. "Such clamour!" said Sarantsatsral. "Something is wrong outside."

"Argh!" shouted another voice. "The beast comes!"

I heard a rustling of cloth, and looked to see that Batkhaan had risen from his throne. "No!" he exclaimed. There was a trace of fear in his face. "It is among us again! The infernal beast!" He looked then to his son. "You are prepared, Batzorig? The time has come for you to defeat our enemy!"

Batzorig did not turn. There was an expression upon his face that I could not read. "I, I must make battle with the beast so soon…?" He put his hands to his head, which he began to shake. "B-But!" he protested. "I c-cannot! I am without strength!"

With that, he sprinted past my companions and myself and flung himself down beside the bed, shivering.

"Without strength or without courage?" mused Batkhaan. His mouth set, and he squared his shoulders. "So be it. If my son is weak, I will deal with the beast myself."

He began forward, but Sarantsatsral stopped him. "Wait, Batkhaan!" she said. "If you are harmed, who will lead our tribe?"

She looked to me, then. "Zera, you appear to be a warrior of some strength," she said. I would have been pleased had it not been for the strange tone concealed within her words. Something about her gaze made me feel uncomfortable, as well. "You could defeat this beast, could you not?" she continued. "Will you stand in the chief's stead and rescue our village from peril?"

Despite my nervousness at the tone in which she said it, her words left me with no other option. "I shall," I said, wondering what exactly I was pledging myself to.

"Hm hm hm," murmured Sarantsatsral. "We are with gratitude. Now, go forth and face the beast."

Connor put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure?" he whispered. I nodded uneasily. "I shall be fine," I said. "I may have a cold, but I am not defenceless."

As I turned to leave, I heard Batzorig call, "Wait!"

I looked to see his face lifted from the bedding. "You are not with the mind to fight the beast, I hope?" he asked. "I am with great fear that you will receive an injury fighting for nomads you barely know. Please stop!"

There was something in his expression that I could not quite read. The only thing I was certain of was that it was _not_ fear.

"I must," I said. "I promise you that I shall not be injured."

Batzorig's eyes flickered for a brief instant towards Sarantsatsral, then back to me. There was something that he clearly needed to say, but could not say in front of the witch woman.

I would have to be careful. There was something strange going on in this nomad village.

* * *

><p>Hello again! Writerchic97 here (obviously), ready with her new chapter!<p>

A Celestrian with a cold, you ask? Is Zera becoming a mortal? Maybe. After all, things are hard to figure out without hindsight to guide our vision! ^_^

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review, and may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you until we meet again!


	15. Chapter 15

I stood as still as possible on the middle rise where we had eaten with the villagers a night earlier, staring straight into the eyes of a large badboon. We had been locked in this contest of stares for the past five minutes, since I had left Batkhaan's tent to face the beast.

Something about the badboon seemed odd to me. Half of the reason I continued staring it down was to attempt to discern exactly what it was, but I was having no luck. So I kept staring, unwilling to back down or blink despite the dry sting in my eyes.

Suddenly, I realised what it was that seemed so strange about the monster. It was the gleam of intelligence in its eyes. Most monsters I had seen had little in the way of intelligence to them, but this one did not subscribe to that idea. Its eyes showed as much intelligence as those of any human or Celestrian I had ever met – more so than some.

As if it sensed my epiphany, the badboon crouched slightly. I shifted almost unconsciously in response, wary of the strangely intelligent beast.

"Grrr," said the badboon. There was no threat in the syllable, though no doubt the nomads heard one. It was simply a syllable, a neutral statement that from a being with language would have been "hm." The badboon gave me one final, long look, and then dodged out of the village.

As I stared after it, I heard the nomads begin to speak. "The wanderer has intimidated the beast into retreat!"

"Incredible! Only Sarantsatsral has such power!"

"It is so, it is so! See how the beast runs!"

I was herded back to Batkhaan's tent by the enthusiastic nomads, and soon I stood again next to Connor, Opal, and Sydney before the chief's throne. Connor had his arm about me protectively, and I could tell that it had been difficult for him to let me go out to face the beast alone. I leaned against him reassuringly as Batkhaan spoke.

"Hm. You have great courage," he said. He looked pointedly at his son, still crouching by the side of the bed. Batzorig had looked at me curiously when I re-entered the tent, but he had looked away almost as quickly. I could not help but wonder at his odd behaviour, but of one thing I was certain: Sarantsatsral was the reason behind it.

"Though," Batkhaan continued, "I wish that the might on which he depended were his own…" He sighed, and Sarantsatsral looked to the cowering boy.

"Fear no more, Batzorig," she said. "It is done. You are safe." Her tone was reassuring, but I was suspicious of her now. The witch woman was at the centre of whatever was happening here.

Batzorig rose fluidly from his position by the bed, and we moved so that he could stand before his father's throne. "Forgive me, Father, for I am without courage," he said frankly. "I am a disappointment to you."

I almost laughed. His statement and the fact that he had delivered it combined to form an excellent oxymoron. Only someone with great courage could admit to his own weakness!

Batkhaan sighed. "Batzorig, one day you must lead our tribe," he said. "How will you do so if you fear such beasts?"

Batzorig's shoulders slumped slightly. "You are right, Father," he said. "I have no excuse. My spirit was honourable, but my spine deserted me when the moment came."

For a long moment, there was silence. Then Batkhaan said, "Then you will be given another chance, Batzorig. A chance for your spirit to triumph over your spine."

Batzorig stiffened. "B-But, Father!" he exclaimed. "I cannot!"

There was a sound from the tent entrance, and I turned to look. Two red-garbed nomads had entered, weapons at their waists. My stomach clenched.

"Men!" exclaimed Batkhaan, and I looked back to see him pointing to his son. "Take my weak-willed son away and make him the hunter he cannot bring himself to be!"

The men moved forward and grabbed Batzorig, pinning his arms to his sides. My companions and I moved forwards to assist him in escaping, but Sarantsatsral shoved her staff out and the four of us froze. I struggled pointlessly against her spell as Batzorig shouted, "No! Do not touch me! Help! Stop them, Sarantsatsral!"

But Sarantsatsral did nothing, and Connor, Opal, Sydney and I were forced to watch helplessly as the nomads dragged the struggling Batzorig out of the tent.

There was a sigh from the throne. "When I imagine him as the next tribe chief, my head is with such worry that I cannot sleep," said Batkhaan. The spell that had held us in place released us then, and we fell into a heap.

As we helped each other up, Sarantsatsral said, "But he is such a dear boy, with such a great attachment to me. I cannot feel disappointed in him."

I snorted softly, Connor rolled his eyes, and I could read the exasperation and disbelief in Sydney's and Opal's faces. Batkhaan looked to us, and there was apology in his expression.

"Forgive us, travellers, for such a dishonourable display," he said. I pursed my lips. Indeed, it had been dishonourable – to the chief!

Oblivious to my disgust, Batkhaan continued. "That was my son, Batzorig. My tribe will be as a herd with no bull if he becomes chief. If you wish to build high, you must dig deep. It is my duty as his father to give him confidence. But I ponder how."

There was a moment of silence. Then Sarantsatsral broke it with a loud "Ah-ha!"

We all looked to her in surprise. "An idea has come to me!" she said, and looked to me. "You spoke that you came here in search of a fruit that shines, did you not?"

I nodded, irked that she was once more ignoring my companions. "Then offer your assistance in the fight against the beast," Sarantsatsral said. "But you must allow Batzorig to strike the final blow. If you fulfil this task, we will aid you in your search for the fruit. We would not wish you to come to harm in your search…"

Something about the way she said that left me seriously doubting in the truth of her statement. I did not trust this woman.

But Batkhaan seemed to.

"May it be so," he said. "If Sarantsatsral believes this to be the right path, than I am in harmony with it. My son prepares himself at the yurts to the north of our village. Go to him, and lend him your might."

I did not relax until we were out of the tent. Then I shivered. "What is it?" asked Connor.

"Sarantsatsral," I replied. "There is something about her that I cannot trust."

Opal shook her head. "Something's not quite right about that woman," she agreed. "But we do need to talk to Batzorig."

"I'm not exactly wild about helping out such a damp blanket of a boy," Stella said, "but if it gets us closer to a fygg, I suppose it's worth it…"

I shot the faerie a look, which she did not see. Rolling my eyes, I looked to my companions. "Let us go to the hunters' yurts," I said. "I want to discover what is happening here."

An hour later, after breakfast on the road, we reached the hunters' yurts. We paused outside the yurt into which the nomads had pulled Batzorig to listen. A voice from inside said, "Why do you hesitate to begin the hunt? How are you to follow in the footsteps of your father if you do not?"

Batzorig's response was too firm in tone to match his words. "Your words mean nothing in the face of the ugly truth. I am struck rigid with fear at the very sight of the beast…"

A voice from behind us interrupted our eavesdropping. "You there!" it exclaimed, and we turned to see one of the nomads glaring at us. "Who are you? What is your business?" Without waiting for an answer, he exclaimed, "Outsiders! Follow me!"

He shoved us roughly inside the tent.

Batzorig saw us, and his narrow eyes widened. "I remember you," he said. "What intention do you have with me?"

"Sarantsatsral and your father requested that we assist you in hunting down the beast," I told him. Batzorig's eyes narrowed again.

"This warrior scared the beast away from Batsureg," said one of the nomads. "With such valour beside you, you cannot be with fear, Batzorig." He seemed quite eager, but not as much as the next nomad.

"Come, young master!" he said. "We must set out with haste!"

Irritation made Batzorig's face tense up, and he turned to face the nomads. "Such stubborn insistence!" he said. "Stubborn as a mule! I will say again for the last time that I will not pursue the beast."

With that, he stormed out of the tent. One of the nomads murmured, "A great shame. Even foul water will put out a fire, yet Batzorig refuses to extinguish this menace."

I looked to my companions. "Ought we to follow him?" I asked quietly.

"We probably should," Connor murmured. Opal nodded, Sydney set her shoulders, and we left the yurt.

There was only one other yurt contained within the wooden fence, and so we decided to check for Batzorig there before attempting to search the plains. Looking in through the entrance, I saw the young nomad sitting at a table, head in his hands as though he had a headache.

"Excuse us," I said as we moved into the tent. Batzorig stiffened for an instant, then looked up. "Zera…" he said. "Connor, Opal, Sydney. You spoke that my father requested you to aid me in my task, did you not?"

When we nodded, I saw the skin around his mouth tighten slightly. "The people are all with the belief that the beast desires to take the life of my father. Do you also see it so?"

There was a challenge contained in his tone. I opened my mouth to reply, intending to say yes. I had seen no evidence that the badboon had not been after Batkhaan, after all. But then I thought of the intelligence that I had seen in its eyes, the challenge in Batzorig's words. And the word that fell out of my open mouth was, "No."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see my companions looking at me strangely, but I paid it no mind.

Batzorig regarded me for a long moment. "I see…" he finally said. "And I see that you are with the wisdom to know this. You know truth from falsehood…"

For a few moments more, he looked at me. I saw Connor move slightly towards me, and I hid a smile. From what I could see of his expression, he seemed to be jealous. I reached for his hand to reassure him.

"…Hmph," said Batzorig after the silence. "It matters not. I will not pursue the beast, and I am therefore without need of your aid. I must attend to something. Forgive me."

And he left.

I looked to my companions, who were still looking at me as though I had lost my mind. "Zera –" Connor began, but then Stella began her usual chatter.

"We can't be having this!" she exclaimed. "If there's no monster hunt to help with, there's no fygg-hunting favours to be has at the end of it!"

"Stop for a second, will you, Stella?" asked Opal. Stella paused mid-chatter, mouth open. Ignoring her, Opal looked at me.

"What did you mean, 'no'?" she asked. "Zera, I thought that the beast was going after Batzorig's dad! That's what everyone was saying. I mean, just because some cute boy askes you a question doesn't mean that you have to give the answer he wants to hear!"

"That is not why I said it," I replied sharply, seeing the slight tightening of Connor's features when Opal said the word "cute". And then I proceeded to explain what I had seen in the eyes of the badboon.

"…And you're basing your entire judgement off that?" asked Connor. I lifted my chin and pulled my hand away. "Yes, I am," I answered. "I trust my instincts, and they tell me that the beast has no intent to harm Batkhaan."

There was a long moment of silence. Then Sydney said, "Then we'd better go after Batzorig."

We looked to her in surprise. "I'm not saying that I believe her one hundred per cent," she said, "but I think that we need to at least consider what Zera's saying. There's a chance that she's right about this."

"Thank you, Sydney," I said. "Let us search for Batzorig. He is the only one who can answer this for certain."

I pulled my cloak about me as we exited the yurt. "Hey, look!" exclaimed Stella, pointing. I followed her finger to see Batzorig heading for the bridge to the northeast of the yurts. "I spy with my little eye, someone beginning with Batzo – Er, Badzoo – Um, that boy from the village. I thought he was supposed to be petrified of monsters. What's he doing all the way up there on his lonesome tod, then? Something's fishy underfoot, and it's not that sardine you stepped in!"

I looked down to find that Stella had been pulling my leg. I glared at her, but she paid me no mind. "Let's get after him and see what he's hiding!" As she spoke, Batzorig crossed the bridge, looked about himself, and then ran off to the west.

Connor attempted to catch my attention as we headed out after the nomad boy, but I ignored him. It was petty, but I did not feel like speaking to him at the moment.

On occasion, we sighted Batzorig in the distance, just often enough to continue following him. We were forced to jog to keep him in sight.

Eventually, we reached a cave in the side of what Sydney dubbed Mount Ulbaruun. Inside, Batzorig stood with the badboon. They were before a large stone that looked rather like a grave.

"Such a method might result in Sarantsatsral's defeat," Batzorig was saying, "but your death would be guaranteed also…"

I stared. I had known that the badboon was intelligent, but Batzorig's words made it sound as though the monster had suggested a plan for something. And…Sarantsatsral's defeat? Batzorig had seemed to trust the witch woman nearly as much as his father…

But Batzorig continued: "If you are dead, my mother will be with great sadness in her new world. Life is not to be thrown away like a well-gnawed bone. You must remain here and guard the grave of my beloved mother. Do you understand, Khoonbish?"

The badboon – Khoonbish – gave a "Grrr" that sounded much like a curt "Fine."

Batzorig turned away from the badboon and spotted the four of us standing there. "Y-You!" he exclaimed. "How is it that you have come here?"

I shifted uncomfortably, not wishing to admit that we had followed him. Boy and monster moved closer to us, regarding us closely. "Hmm…" Batzorig said. "You have heard our conversation. This cannot be helped. I must tell you the truth in its entirety."

He gestured to Khoonbish. "The beast is my friend," he told us. "He is called Khoonbish. Long ago, my mother and I found him injured on the plains and gave him assistance. Then we became friends.

"Khoonbish's target in our village was not my father, but Sarantsatsral." Her name came out flat. "She deceives our peaceful people with trickery, and plots evil deeds. I have feigned idiocy and cowardice to make her without suspicion of me, but I cannot create a plan to oust her."

He sighed. "This is the full truth," he said. "Please, you must keep it hidden from all others' ears." Then he lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. "And now, I must return to the yurts. Farewell."

We moved aside to allow Batzorig and Khoonbish to pass. I stared after the two of them for a long moment, until I heard a gasp from Opal. "Look!" she exclaimed, and I turned to do so.

The ghost of a serious, tired-looking woman had appeared on the lower part of the gravestone. "Beloved Batzorig…" she murmured. "Take great care, my child. Sarantsatsral plots your death."

A chill ran up my spine as the ghost's words sunk in. The witch woman planned to kill Batzorig!

The woman looked over and saw us all staring at her. Her brows moved together, and she asked, "You have eyes that can see me?"

I nodded slightly. My head was still reeling from her earlier words.

Relief crossed the woman's face. "Blessings be upon the Almighty for this miracle!" she exclaimed. She beckoned us forward, and I moved automatically. From the sound, it seemed that the others moved with me.

"I am the wife of the brave leader Batkhaan, chief of the Batsureg tribe," the woman told us when we stopped. "I am called Bayarmaa. Wanderers… I see in you greatnesses. Please, you must permit me to ask a favour."

The desperation in Bayarmaa's voice was clear. "Of course," said the four of us, almost in synchronisation. Some slight amount of relief returned to her tired-looking face. "Far to the east of this place, at the foot of the eastern mountains, lies the village of Gerzuun, long since ravaged by monsters," Bayarmaa told us. "I wish you to travel there and gather the precious bodura grass. Then you must pass it to Batzorig. It will be of great use to him. Please, aid my son… Aid Batzorig in his battle with evil powers…"

After a long moment, I said, "We will."

Bayarmaa smiled in relief and gave us a slight bow. Then we turned and left the cave to head east.

After half an hour of walking, I felt someone grab my arm. I looked about to see that it was Connor. "Zera," he said, but I turned away and tried to walk away.

"_Zera,_" Connor said, pulling on my arm to turn me around. "_What_?" I asked, angry. Sydney and Opal had stopped and were watching us.

"Keep going, please," I said. I glared at Connor. "We will be along in a moment."

The two of them looked at us oddly, but continued on. Connor looked at me. "What is it, Connor?" I asked. I knew that it was stupid, childish, and petty, but I did not want to forgive him for not believing me when I had said that Khoonbish did not intend to hurt Batkhaan.

"You can't ignore me forever, Zera," he said.

I set my mouth. "I can try."

For a moment, we stood there glaring at each other. It was not easy; my natural instinct when looking at Connor was to want to hug him and kiss him, not glare at him. His eyes, I noticed just then, were the dark colour of fertile soil after a rain.

"Why did you not believe me?" I whispered after a moment. Connor slumped down. "Almighty, Zera," he sighed. "Is that the problem?"

"Yes!" I said. "Connor, why?"

"Because it was preposterous!" Connor exclaimed. "You judged by something you thought you saw in a monster's eyes!"

"I would have believed you," I said. "Even if it seemed preposterous."

"We aren't the same person, Zera," Connor said, narrowing his eyes. "Just because you would have believed me doesn't mean that I had to believe you. And besides, you were right. What does it matter now?"

"It _matters_," I said, "because I want you to trust me!"

"I do trust you," Connor said. "I…we're just…different."

My shoulders slumped, and I felt tears come to my eyes. The end of my nose began to sting. "I suppose we are." I turned and began to walk away, letting my head droop.

I heard Connor mutter something that sounded vaguely like a curse, then he exclaimed, "That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?" I asked desperately, turning back to him. I searched his face, hoping for an answer that made sense. I wanted to forgive him, but I had a stubborn streak that had been born of being trained by Aquila. Without some kind of explanation or apology, my pride would not allow me to forgive him.

"I… What I meant was… It just… I don't…know," Connor said finally. His hands dropped limply to his sides as he admitted it.

As I looked at him, I felt the tears spill over. "Let me know once you figure it out," I said. With that, I turned to walk away. Connor called after me, but this time I did not turn.

A sob broke out of my throat, and I felt my whole body shake. I wanted so badly to turn and run to Connor, fling my arms about him, hold him and know that he was holding and comforting me. But I would not. I knew that I was in the right. Connor ought to have trusted me. Until he could realise that and apologise, I would not allow myself to run to him, no matter how much I wished it.

Opal and Sydney looked at me oddly when I finally joined them. I had managed to regain control after the first few sobs, but the tears that had escaped had no doubt left my eyes red. They were certainly dry. My nose was running, yet also stuffy. I supposed it was the cold that I seemed to have acquired. Ignoring the girls' questions, I stared determinedly ahead and tried not to think.

As we walked, the terrain changed in a way that suited my mood. The rich grasslands of the plains and the trees of the area near Mount Ulbaruun gave way to bare soil and rocks, stunted, leafless trees, and pools of acid bubbling away in hollows. Reptilian monsters and the occasional ghoul wandered about, looking at us threateningly. We ignored them, and they did not attack. All of it was overshadowed by a barren, steep-sided mountain.

I had pulled ahead of Sydney and Opal after a time, and paid just enough attention to my surroundings to avoid stepping in acid or on a monster's tail. So it surprised me when a hand touched my shoulder and a quiet voice said, "Zera."

It was Sydney. She looked at me, concern clear in her grey eyes. "What happened between you and Connor?"

"It is none of your concern," I muttered. I did not wish to be so rude, but I _did _wish to be left alone. Years of watching Aquila had shown me that being curt, to the point, and serious was the best way to keep people from bothering you, and I decided that now would be the time to apply that strategy.

"Maybe not," Sydney said, "but I care. What happened?"

I looked down at my feet, which were appearing and disappearing beneath the hem of my cloak. "We argued. That is all."

Sydney searched my face. "What about?" she asked in her quiet way, so soft that I scarcely heard. There was genuine concern in her voice. She truly cared.

"He…he did not believe me when I told you all that Khoonbish did not mean to harm Batkhaan," I said, almost as quiet as Sydney. She was silent for a moment, then said, "Don't take this the wrong way, Zera…none of us really did."

"I know," I said sharply, looking up. "But I thought Connor would. I would have believed him, and I cannot understand why he did not trust me enough to believe me."

Sydney sighed. "He does trust you," she said. I looked down at the ground, feeling my shoulders slump. "I simply wish that he would show it," I mumbled.

"Listen, Zera," Sydney said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I don't have much experience in relationships, but I know a good one when I see it. You and Connor deserve each other. You're perfect together. And you can't just let it fall apart over this one thing."

I folded my arms. "I am in the right," I said stubbornly.

"Apologise," Sydney said quietly. I looked at her. "What?"

"Apologise," she said again. "It doesn't matter if you're right or wrong. You always have to apologise – especially if you're right."

"That makes no sense," I told her. Sydney smiled. "I know," she said, "but it works. Trust me." She squeezed my arm gently, and then dropped back to Opal.

Apologise.

It was not the path I would have taken ordinarily. On the whole, the stubborn pride Aquila had passed to me would normally protest any such idea with vehemence. And it still was. The idea of apologising rankled at my pride, and I was not sure I could swallow the pride far enough down to make amends.

I was still thinking when we reached a dark cave in the side of the mountain. "Mount Ulzuun," Sydney said when she caught up to me. Opal was with her, and I saw Connor about ten feet behind. "Gerzuun must have been inside here."

We moved closer together when we entered the cave. It was gloomy inside – the only light came from the cave entrance, and there was not much light even from that. A rusted gate stood before us. When I pushed on it, it did not move.

A soft light came into being beside us, and resolved into the form of Bayarmaa. "I will open the way," she said. Turning to the gates and spreading her arms, she cried, "Great gates of Gerzuun! Throw yourselves wide and give the wanderers passage!"

The gates creaked open to the inside. I looked to Bayarmaa. "Go now," she said. "Gather the bodura grass and deliver it to my beloved son. He will use it to expose Sarantsatsral's true form, as it was before she consumed the shining fruit of the heavens. You must save Batzorig… You must save the very plains themselves from ruin…"

She dematerialised then.

"No pressure," I said lightly, and Opal and Sydney grinned. My gaze drifted to Connor, and the both of us looked away quickly. Opal looked from me to Connor and back again, and opened her mouth, but Sydney shook her head. Opal looked at her in evident confusion, but did not say anything.

"Erm," I said, after several moments of awkward silence. "Shall we search for the bodura grass, then?"

Our walk through the gloom of what used to be Gerzuun was all but silent. On occasion, Sydney or Opal would say something, but whatever small conversation developed was strained and never lasted long. Monsters of the creepy, zombie kind wandered about, and at times we were forced to fight them. Several times, I would look over to Connor and meet his eyes. Without exception, our gazes would immediately flicker away to some other part of the cave.

It was terrible. Half of me wanted to wrap my arms around him, apologise, have him forgive me and be able to be as close to him as possible until we were forced to part. But the other half of me was too stubborn to be able to do that. I knew Sydney's advice was good, excellent, even. But I did not know if I could take it. Each time I considered going to Connor and attempting to apologise, my stomach lurched as though I were staring over the edge of a precipice. No, I could not do it.

"Shining fruit of the heavens," said Opal at some point. "Three guesses, huh?"

I nodded. "Yes," I said. "I ought to have expected it. If something strange is going on, we ought to have known that a fygg was behind it."

We fell back into silence as we explored a circle of platforms that led out to treasure chests. Inside, we found a special medicine, a ressurock, a phial of sage's elixir, and a slime crown. Then, finally, we reached an opening in the back of the cavern.

"The grass must be this way," said Connor, rolling his shoulders. Discomfort was clear in his face, and I could understand why. There was a strange glow coming from within.

"Let us go, then," I said, and strode through the doorway.

The glow proved to be emanating from a number of ghosts, all of whom looked at us curiously. They lined a corridor leading up to a red-painted wooden platform where a set of stairs led downwards. I asked one of the ghosts, and he informed us that the bodura grass was down there. So we went down.

The stairs led to an underground spring. A bridge spanned the short distance from the land we stood on to a small island, on which a strange kind of grass grew. We crossed the bridge, and I examined the grass closely. The tops of the stalks were rounded, and coloured as though they were eyes. The overall effect was rather creepy, I decided, as though the grass was watching me.

"I suppose this is the bodura grass," said Opal. "Pretty weird."

"Yeah," Connor murmured. I picked several stalks and regarded them. It was extremely strange to see grass that seemed to be able to see me back.

"I'll put those in my bag," Sydney said. I handed them to her, and she placed them inside the bag. She smiled. "There's plenty of space."

I opened my mouth to ask her about that, but then decided otherwise. Some other time would most likely be far more appropriate than this.

Of course, there was one person among us who did not care what time was appropriate for things. "Nice one, Zera and Company!" exclaimed Stella. "A masterclass in grabbing grass! Now we just have to get it back to Batzorig. He headed back to the yurts, didn't he? Come on, let's go and find him!"

"I know a spell that will get us out of here much faster than walking," I said. "Grab hands, everyone."

I took Stella's wrist, who held to Sydney's hand, who grabbed for Connor, who took Opal's hand. I held my free arm above my head, and focused on one thing: _Let us leave this cave!_

A light flashed out and down from my hand, enveloping us. When the light vanished, an instant later, we stood at the foot of Mount Ulzuun, outside the cave. "Nice, Zera!" exclaimed Opal. "Where'd you learn that spell?"

"I read about it in the library in the Observatory," I replied. We released hands very quickly, and looked around at one another.

"Back to the yurts, then," said Connor. He hesitated. "I would assume it's the hunters' yurts."

I nodded. "At the very least, we ought to check there first. They are closer than the village."

So we set off for the hunters' yurts. I was walking ahead of the others once more – striding was really closer to the mark. I rather wished I had pockets in which to stow my hands, for I hadn't the slightest idea where to put them. The cloak flapped out behind me, and I pulled it closer. It was chilly out here; the wind was biting.

Why on earth was I so stubborn about apologising? I wondered. _It should not be so difficult. I wish for things to be as they were, and the only way to do that is to say I am sorry! _I sighed. I knew exactly why I could not make myself apologise. However good Sydney's advice may have been, I was too stubborn to apologise when I knew that I was in the right.

For the first time in weeks, I thought of the Right Knight and how, after our battle with him, he had decided to go to the castle of Stornway and apologise. _I must do the honourable thing,_ he had said.

Apologising was the honourable thing to do. If an ancient knight could swallow his pride enough to try to apologise to a king, then I could certainly do so with Connor.

But not right now. I could not do it now. Later, when we had helped Batzorig and were free of obligation, I could take all the time I needed to apologise. Right now, we were too busy.

I would apologise soon enough.

We found Batzorig in the left-side tent of the hunters' yurts. When we entered, he was speaking with Khoonbish.

"Did I not tell you that I will be the one to visit you, Khoonbish?" he asked, seeming slightly exasperated. "You must not come here any more."

"Grrr," Khoonbish said, sounding disgruntled. It was amazing how much information one could get from a growl, I thought, and then my stomach gave a growl of its own.

I thought that Batzorig would leap out of the top of the tent when the growl sounded. He turned with a panicked expression upon his face, which turned to relief as he saw that it was us.

"Ah, Zera!" he exclaimed. "Please, you must not surprise me so!"

"My apologies," I said, smiling. Briefly, I wondered why it was so simple to apologise to him, but not to Connor. Then I shook my head quickly and looked to Sydney. "Do you still have it?"

"Yes," Sydney replied, immediately understanding. She rummaged through her bag for a moment, then pulled out the bodura grass. Then she held it out to the nomad boy.

"What is this you bring?" he asked, looking at it. "I believe I have seen such a thing long, long ago." Then his eyes, widened, and he snapped his fingers. "Of course! Bodura grass!" he exclaimed. "My mother once showed it to me. Why do you have it with you?"

I explained to him what his mother's ghost had requested of us by her grave. By the time I finished, his eyes had narrowed to slits and his brows were almost touching in the centre, they had slanted so far.

"What talk is this?" he asked. "I may be a simple plainsman, but I am _not_ so superstitious that I believe such things possible…"

"Grrr! Grrr!" growled Khoonbish, moving up and down. Batzorig looked to the beast, his features smoothing out. "Khoonbish… You are with wisdom as always. Zera trusted in the truth of our story. We must trust in hers."

I trampled down my next thought – _why is it that he will believe me when Connor could not! _– before it could make its way fully to the surface of my mind. I did not need to dwell upon that.

Batzorig had folded his arms. "So my mother spoke of using the bodura grass to expose Sarantsatsral's true monstrous form…?" he wondered, then turned to us. "If an infusion of bodura grass is thrown on the monster, her mask will be washed away and her true colours revealed. Bodura grass will open the eyes of the people of Batsureg, it will protect our great plains. Will you gift it to me?"

"Of course," said the four of us simultaneously, and I had to smile. It was fitting that the grass would 'open the eyes', as it looked so much like an eye itself. Sydney handed Batzorig the grass, and he smiled.

"I thank you," he said. "I was wise to tell you the truth of my story, it seems. Now all that remains is to crush the grass and create the bodura infusion."

"Grrr! Grrr!" cried Khoonbish. Batzorig turned to him, smiling fiercely. "Yes, Khoonbish!" he said. "To Batsureg! I will lead those outside on before you will follow." Khoonbish nodded. "Grrr! Grrr!"

"May it be so!" replied Batzorig, and he left the yurt.

"Batzorig takes his leave!" exclaimed one of the nomads from outside. A second said, "We must accompany him! Hurry!"

Khoonbish gave a pair of "Grr"s that sounded distinctly like laughter. After a few moments, he left as well.

I looked at my companions. "Let's go!" enthused Opal. "I'd hate to miss whatever's going to happen, after all we did to help it get going." So after a moment, we followed the nomads and the badboon towards Batsureg.

We travelled at a more leisurely pace than the others, wishing to give them time to prepare before we entered the village. But it seemed that we ought to have moved faster, for by the time we reached Batsureg, something had already occurred.

Batzorig, a knife held tightly in his right hand, stood on the centre rise of the village. He faced away from us, and it was not until we approached that I realised he was facing a motionless Khoonbish. It must have been some sort of ploy, I decided, seeing the nomads grouped around boy and beast. Sarantsatsral and Batkhaan were on the circle as well.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Batkhaan. "Congratulations! You did it, Batzorig! You did it, my son! The beast is defeated! I knew my boy was with strength. A man fails seven times and rises eight times!"

I noticed a conspicuous lack of the quantity of blood required for a beast of Khoonbish's size to be truly defeated, but none of the nomads seemed to. Of course, badboons were not common monsters on the Iluugazar Plains.

Batzorig put an arm to his face and made a noise that sounded rather like a sob. "My heart was with such fear, Father," he said. "I was blind to my path forward." Then he let his arm fall and straightened up. "But, with the support of you and Sarantsatsral, I was able to defeat my misgivings." He made another sobbing noise, and I reflected that he was an excellent liar – or, to put it more politely, an excellent actor. At times, there was little difference. "I thank you. My loyalty is with you both until death parts our mortal souls."

Yes, an _excellent_ actor.

"My heart is touched by your sentiment," said Sarantsatsral. "I will always protect you. There is no necessity for tears."

I stiffened then as I remembered a story that I had heard several times. It was about a hideous monster that could disguise herself as a mysterious woman of great beauty. I struggled to remember the name of the monster as Batzorig made yet another sob.

"I am full with gratitude, Sarantsatsral," he said, and then stiffened. Khoonbish had twitched and inhaled visibly. "Argh!" Batzorig cried. "Father! The beast lives yet! What must I do?"

"You must strike the final blow!" Batkhaan exclaimed. "Do not begin it afraid, but once begin, do not me afraid!"

The aphorisms of the nomads confused me.

"Y-Yes," Batzorig stammered. "It is so, Father! I will do it!"

He raised his knife and positioned it above Khoonbish's heart. For a moment, he stood poised there, and the entirety of the village seemed to be holding its breath.

Then, Batzorig ducked to the side, crying, "It is time, Khoonbish! Strike her! Stride down the wicked imposter!" Khoonbish leapt up, and he and Batzorig rushed at Sarantsatsral. The badboon leapt at the monster-woman, and a flash of light bloomed between them. Batkhaan was knocked over, Khoonbish was knocked back, and Sarantsatsral's veil flew off, revealing a shapely but oddly dark mouth.

Batzorig stowed his knife and yanked out a metal canister. "The charade is finished, Sarantsatsral," he cried. "Now show your true colours!"

He flung the liquid within the canister in Sarantsatsral's face. Batkhaan sat up. "What is this insanity, Batzorig?" he asked. "Has your mind deserted you, boy?"

"S-Sarantsatsral!" exclaimed one of the nomads.

"What wickedness has the young master perpetrated?" cried another. Batzorig turned to face the people of the village. "It is not as you believe, people of Batsureg!" he called. "This is no woman, it is a foul beast!" He twisted and pointed to Sarantsatsral, who was hunched over. Streams of purple-pink vapour were rising out of her. "Behold, the true form of she in whom you had such deep trust!"

"Kaaaaaagh," grunted Sarantsatsral. "My desirous form… It deserts me… Wh-what is ill is this that befalls me…?"

As the vapour closed in, I suddenly remembered the name of the monster from the tale: Larstastnaras. It occurred to me that _Sarantsatsral _was _Larstastnaras _backwards, and I nearly laughed.

Then the vapour exploded outwards, and I nearly gagged. Sarantsatsral – no, Larstastnaras – had been replaced with an enormous, fleshy pink creature that was unfortunately wearing the exact same clothing.

"Grrrrrrrrarrrrrgh!" Larstastnaras roared, and I nearly vomited as her breath washed over me. It smelled like a can of rotting meat that had been left out in the summer heat for a week and a half.

"This beast has deceived us all!" cried Batzorig, and I admired him to be able to speak with that scent in his nostrils. "In truth, she is a demon who would bend us to her will so that the plains might be hers to command!"

He untwisted himself and looked to the people of his village. "Come, warriors of Batsureg! We must join our forces and drive this evil from our homes for the sake of our people!"

Batzorig was a great speaker, I decided. His words were simple, but I could feel the drive behind them. He would make an excellent leader someday.

Unfortunately, the people seemed too terrified to recognise the power in Batzorig's words. "Aaaaaagh!" one screamed. "Sarantsatsral is in truth a foul demon!"

"This is the end!" another cried. "The plains are doomed!"

Batzorig stared at them disbelievingly for a moment. Then, his mouth tightening, he turned and drew his knife. "…The will of the people is weakened by her wicked deception…" he muttered. "Then we must stand alone. Come, Khoonbish, to arms!"

I very nearly joined them as the two of them charged Larstastnaras, but Sydney grabbed my arm. "This is their village," she said. "We shouldn't –"

She stopped suddenly as Larstastnaras swatted boy and beast, sending them flying. They landed with a pair of nasty thuds and did not move afterwards. "Hee heeeee!" laughed Larstastnaras. "You would not test my patience so if you knew what was good for you, mortal fools! I was so near to bringing the leader of you simple plainsfolk under my influence, and the plains with him…"

She pointed her staff at Batzorig's limp figure. "And you dare to obstruct my scheme? You will regret your intrusion! I will consume you all!"

"Now is the time to interfere," I muttered. "Come on, we must stop her!"

The four of us raced forward. I took the lead, hoping that whatever remaining vestiges of my Celestrian immunity would protect me if Larstastnaras swatted me as well. The odds of that did not seem great, I thought, as I sneezed violently.

"Ha!" shouted Larstastnaras. "Foolish creatures! You are with the courage to challenge a best twice your size?" With that, she roared, and Opal responded by casting Crackle.

The icicle stabbed up into Larstastnaras's fleshy underside. I assumed that it shattered, as it usually did, but I did not see it. But to judge by Larstastnaras's scream, it _did _shatter. I winced in sympathy, knowing that the sharp fragments would have lodged…_everywhere_.

Connor scooped up a handful of rocks and threw them at Larstastnaras's face. They hit right on target, and she screeched and lashed out with her staff. The very tip hit Connor in the face, and he clapped his hand to the mark, muttering, "Ouch!"

Larstastnaras whipped her staff around then, nearly whacking all of us, and a flurry of flowers blew at us with the force of a gale. I scarcely kept my footing, but Opal and Sydney were not so lucky. They fell back as though they had been shoved.

I cast Crackle and heard Larstastnaras screech again as the icicle shattered.

Connor was the next to attack, as Sydney and Opal were still regaining their footing. I moved to help them stand as Connor cast Wind Sickles. The wind bit into the monster's thick flesh, and Larstastnaras shouted.

Opal – who by now was back upon her feet – raced at the monster and sliced upwards into her stomach. There was a nice twist to the motion, I noticed, admiring her form. Then the small girl retreated, disgust visible on her face. I could not imagine that Larstastnaras smelled much better from up close.

The battle dragged on, not becoming much better as we fought. Unfortunately for us, the wind was moving in what seemed to be all directions, taking Larstastnaras's stench to our noses no matter where we stood. Everywhere seemed to be downwind of her. It was terrible.

Then, finally, when Larstastnaras struck out at me, I somehow managed to knock her staff aside and counterattack, slicing my fan into her stomach, as high as I could reach. I nearly gagged as her breath washed over me.

She covered her face with her hands. "Aaaaaaaaargh!" she screamed, and the purplish vapour began flowing out and around her again. "Beaten by mortal hands…? Noooo… My power… My precious might…"

The cloud closed in around her as she moaned. When it faded away, my mouth dropped open in shock. The enormous, hideous pink monster had vanished, to be replaced by a skinny little slugger that cowered on the ground before us. A fygg materialised above me and floated down into the hands that I stretched out to take it. We stowed it in Sydney's bag as the nomads talked among and over one another:

"This is Sarantsatsral's true guise?"

"I am with great shock. We trusted a beast!"

Batzorig and Khoonbish, who had managed to rise during the battle, approached Larstastnaras. "Yikes!" the slugger exclaimed. "Um, er, please don't 'urt me, guv! I ain't nothin' to be afraid of now, I swear!"

I saw Batzorig raise an eyebrow, and the slugger that had been Larstastnaras continued, clearly frantic. "I was lonely, see. All you nomads wanted nothin' to do with me. Then I gobbled up that fruit I found out on the plains, see, an' I got all strong, like. It all went to me 'ead a bit. I couldn't seem to stop meself. You'll let it go, won't ya, precious? I didn't mean any 'arm!"

Batzorig was clearly as stunned as the rest of us, but eventually he said, "Your actions cannot so easily be forgiven. …However, the escaped horse cannot be captured. Destroying you will not change what has occurred. I will allow you to leave. But you must be with agreement on one condition."

Larstastnaras looked at Batzorig with a focused stare. It did not seem nearly so piercing when it came from a slugger. Batzorig looked to Khoonbish. "My loyal friend, Khoonbish. From this day on, he will also be a friend of yours."

He looked back to the slugger. "With him in your company, you will never again have to be alone."

Batzorig looked once more to his friend. "You are in harmony with this, Khoonbish?" he asked. Khoonbish nodded, saying, "Grrr!"

"I thank you," Batzorig said. "Then may it be so." To Larstastnaras, he said, "Go on your way, Larstastnaras." Clearly, he knew of the story, as well.

Larstastnaras began to bow, repeatedly. "That's ever so kind of you, guv. I can't thank you enough, 'onest. I won't get up to no good again, I swear."

She and Khoonbish left.

And then, slowly, everyone in the village moved together and began to celebrate the monsters' departure.

I awoke the next morning still feeling tired from the previous night's party. It had lasted late into the night, and it had taken me surprisingly long to find sleep afterwards. I supposed it was out of guilt: I still had not managed to apologise to Connor. But today was a new day. I would apologise today.

We met in the inn's common room, where I had another honey and lemon tea with my breakfast. My cold was no better; if anything, it was worse. I now had a cough and stuffed-up nose in addition to my throat ache. I nursed the tea as we pored over Sydney's map.

"I think it would be quicker to sail the _Pride _around to the Snowberian Coast," Sydney was saying. We had agreed already to go to Swinedimples Academy to search for the final fygg. "It's a longer distance, but it'll take less time to sail."

"Yeah," Opal agreed, grinning. "Plus you want to sail the boat."

Sydney smiled. "That might be part of it," she admitted. Just then, the innkeeper came over to our table. "You slept a good sleep?" she asked. When we nodded (I thought it better to lie slightly than to make it sound as though her inn was not good), she smiled. "Yesterday was full of many happenings," she said. _That is an understatement!_

"You are heroes to the people of our tribe," the innkeeper continued. "Our chief wished to converse with you. He is outside with all the people of the village."

She left, and we all looked at one another. "I guess we ought to go out, then," Connor said. Sydney rolled up the map and put it in her bag as we piled up the empty plates. I took a final sip of my tea, and then we left the inn.

The nomads were all gathered on the centre rise of the village. Batkhaan stood with Batzorig near their yurt, facing their people. "Listen well, faithful herders of Batsureg!" called Batkhaan. "My days as your chief are now passed. The donkey recognises the tracks of the horse. The son I thought lacking now surpasses me in every way."

He turned then to look at his son, and I realised that we were witnessing Batzorig's passage to tribal chief. "My heart and mind are certain that he will be a valiant and true leader," Batkhaan said. "From this day onwards, you are chief of Batsureg!"

Batkhaan stepped back, allowing Batzorig to step forwards. There was a respectful silence among the nomads as one and all waited for the new chief to speak. And then he did.

"I am Batzorig, chief of Batsureg!" he cried. "Listen well, faithful herders! We are a proud nomadic people! We carve our path in this life on the great plains and allow nothing to stand in our way. To lean on the crutch of another's power as we have done is to forget the honour and independence of our people! If we remember this, we cannot be deceived again as we have been. We can only grow stronger! It will be so!"

I could not help joining in the cheers of the nomads at the end of Batzorig's speech. Fortunately, Connor, Opal, and Sydney seemed to feel the same way, so I was not alone in it. Batzorig truly had a way with words, I decided. He would make an excellent chief.

As the cheering finally died down, Batkhaan and Batzorig left the village and headed off to the north. I looked after them, and realised that they must have been going to visit Bayarmaa's grave.

We looked to one another. "Should we get going?" Sydney asked. I bit my lip, then replied, "Perhaps we ought to follow Batkhaan and Batzorig. I wish to find out if Bayarmaa has gone on."

After a few moments of debate, we agreed to visit the grave once more before leaving for the _Pride_. So we left the village and followed father and son to Mount Ulbaruun.

When we reached the grave, Batkhaan and Batzorig already stood before it. Clearly, they had been there for some minutes. Bayarmaa's ghost stood in the same place it had materialised the first time we had visited the grave. After a silence, Batkhaan said, "Much time has passed since my last visit to your mother's grave." He looked to his son. "Yet it is well-tended. This is your work, Batzorig?"

"Yes, Father," Batzorig replied, "it is my work. Mother was with a great eye for beauty. She would be angered if it were untidy."

They both looked back to the grave. "It is so," Batkhaan said. "Yet I failed to recognise it. I have caused you much hardship, my son. Your mother was a strong woman, a fitting wife for a tribal chief. My heart is sad that she does not see you today, that she does not see her boy as a man, as a tribal chief."

I could not help smiling as my eyes drifted to Bayarmaa's ghost. "Mother…" Batzorig murmured. "Rest well. I will guide our people wisely. You must be without fear for the people of Batsureg now."

They turned then, and walked towards us. Neither of them seemed overly surprised to see us at the gravesite. "You also pay your respects, friends?" Batzorig asked. I nodded, thinking it was the better explanation than having followed them.

"My mother… Is she here with us?" Batzorig asked then, and I could see the hope in his eyes. I nodded again, and a smile spread across both Batkhaan's and Batzorig's faces. "You must tell her to rest peacefully, and that she need not be with worry for her son…" Batzorig said. The both of them nodded to us, and took their leave.

"I see you, Batzorig," said Bayarmaa. We turned to look at her. "I see you," she continued, ignoring us for the moment. "My heart is proud. You have become a great man." Then she looked to us. "I thank you, travellers. Now I am with no concerns. Now I will rest well."

Her slight figure brightened to an unbearable light, and then vanished altogether. Something glinted where the ghost had stood, and Opal moved to pick it up. "It's a spirit bracer," she said. "Cool!"

She slipped it onto her left arm beneath the sleeve of her robe, and we left the grave.

A bit over an hour later, I felt that I had finally gathered enough courage to go and apologise to Connor. But as I moved towards him, Opal shouted, "Look out!"

I whipped about to find myself being charged by a splatterhorn. Yanking out my fan, I dodged out of the way and raked down the beast's side. It roared and tossed its head, then turned as Opal's knife dug into its side.

When Connor punched it in the side, the monster swung its horn. I gasped as the horn tore through his clothing and stabbed low into his abdomen, directly into the centre.

Then I screamed, "Connor! _NOO_!"

I had thought that I would apologise soon enough.

But looking at that wound, I was no longer so certain.

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! I'm<em> soo<em> sorry it took me so long to update this chapter. I could come up with about a thousand excuses, but I'll spare you. ^_^

And yes, I've once again left Connor's life in the lurch. I know, I know, I'm totally evil, but I couldn't help it! That's just exactly the place a chapter ought to end. Is Zera ever going to be able to apologise? ...Well, not to sound like an ad here, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out!

And for those of you who understood the 'you deserve each other' and 'you're perfect together' references...well, hey, I may be pale, but I'm green all the way through!

May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you (and Connor) until we meet again!


	16. Chapter 16

_When Connor punched it in the side, the monster swung its horn. I gasped as the horn tore through his clothing and stabbed low into his abdomen, directly into the centre. _

_Then I screamed, "Connor! NOO!"_

_I had thought that I would apologise soon enough._

_But looking at that wound, I was no longer so certain. _

* * *

><p>Within several seconds, I had sliced the splatterhorn's throat deeply enough to cause it to explode into dust, dropped my fan, and somehow managed to catch Connor before he collapsed onto the ground. I put my hand over the wound in Connor's stomach and gathered my energy to cast Heal.<p>

"Zera, no!" Sydney exclaimed, pulling my hand away. "That's way too deep for any of us to heal with a spell."

"No," I said, yanking my hand away from Sydney's and trying to place it back over Connor's wound. "_Zera_!" Sydney hissed. "Move your hand so I can fix him up! If you want to be useful, go through my bag. I'm going to need supplies."

I opened up her bag numbly as she directed both Opal and I. She did not even look up from Connor. Nor did I. I could not take my eyes of the dark stain that was spreading far too quickly across his shirt. His eyes were drifting shut.

"Opal, we need clean water. Start a fire to boil it if you have to. Zera, there's a hard case in my bag, get that out. It should have everything I need to take care of this until we can move him and get to a medical clinic. There's also a leather bag, get that out and give it to Opal for the water. Opal, where's that fire?"

"Here," Opal said. The word was nearly incoherent from the speed and pitch of it. She had cast Frizz on a pile of tinder and was beginning to build up the flame. I shoved my hand into the bag, and my arm disappeared up to the armpit. There was most definitely some sort of extension spell on the thing.

It took several moments of rooting through the myriad contents of the bag for me to find the bag and the case. I extracted my arm, tossed the bag to Opal, and handed the case to Sydney. Then my eyes stopped on Connor. Sydney had removed his shirt, no doubt so that she could clean the wound. How she was able to focus while looking at a shirtless Connor, I could not comprehend. Certainly, there was a fist-sized (Oh, Almighty protect him!) hole in his abdomen, but…_oh_!

"Zera, focus," Sydney said, barely glancing up as she pulled several bandages from her case. "Opal, how's the water coming?"

"Slowly," Opal replied.

"Please tell me you are not watching it," I said, the words slipping out without a thought. Then I looked up from Connor to see both girls looking at me. Opal was simply staring, but Sydney had smiled slightly. "Good," she said. "Keep your sense of humour. It's a useful thing to have in a tense situation. And Opal, Zera's right. It may not be a pot, but I don't want to take any chances on it not boiling!"

She was pressing bandages onto Connor's wound. "I think he got lucky," she said as I turned my attention back to Connor. "The horn avoided all the vital organs. It's still deep, but nothing really important got punctured."

It felt like an hour before Sydney pulled the layers of bandages away from the hole in Connor's abdomen, but it had only been perhaps a quarter of that time. "Good," Sydney said, relieved. "The bleeding's slowed down a lot. Opal, I need the water now."

Opal had taken the water off the fire several minutes ago, at Sydney's direction. Now she handed the bag to the young priest.

"Thanks," Sydney said. As she began cleaning the wound, I marvelled at how excellent Sydney was in a crisis. She seemed almost like a different person. I had never seen her so focused, so in control, so…powerful. If it had not been for her, we would all have completely lost it when Connor had been injured.

I kneeled down beside Connor and took his hand while Sydney finished cleaning the wound and began to bandage it. "He lost a lot of blood," I said nervously.

"Yes," Sydney agreed. "But not so much as to be unsurvivable. He'll be fine with enough food and rest. He's really incredibly lucky. The splatterhorn couldn't have chosen many better places to shank him."

"…Shank?" I asked, looking up from Connor's face. Sydney blushed. "Sorry," she said. "Old habits die hard. It's just delinquent slang for 'stab'."

"Ah." I nodded and looked back to Connor as Sydney continued bandaging him up. Gently, I brushed a few dark locks off his face. There was a light sheen of sweat that left my fingers slightly damp. "He feels a bit cool," I said, concerned. Not only was he cool, but his skin was paler than normal. He was breathing rather quickly, as well.

Sydney's mouth tightened. "I'm not surprised," she said. "He lost a lot of blood, like you said." She secured the bandages, then said, "Let's get his shirt back on. We need to keep his temperature normal."

I lifted Connor gently by the arms as Sydney and Opal manoeuvred his shirt back on. When I reached for his belt to tie it on, Sydney put her hand on top of mine. "Don't," she said. "We need to keep him warm, but everything needs to be loose."

"Then this ought to help," I said, taking off my cloak and laying it over top of him. Sydney pulled one of his arms out from underneath it and felt his wrist. "His pulse is faster than normal, I think," she said. "It's weak, though – hard to tell for certain." She bit her lip. "Connor's definitely going into shock. We need to get him somewhere with a medical clinic."

"Could we not simply take him back to Batsureg?" I asked. Sydney looked in the direction of the nomad village. "I don't think so," she said. "They're good people, but Connor needs real medical treatment. I'm not sure we'll be able to get it there."

But I could see as she looked back down at Connor's pale face that she was thinking about it.

"Then what do we do?" asked Opal. Sydney bit down on her lip. "This is a nasty Catch-22," she muttered. "We need to move him to get medical care, but we can't risk moving him without it." Then her eyes lit up, and she looked to me. "Zera, do you think you could get us to Swinedimples with that transportation spell – Zoom, right?"

I cheered for a moment, but then I remembered what the voice had said atop the Observatory. "_I bestow upon you this spell, that you and your companions may travel in an instant to any domain that you have heretofore visited…"_

"I have never been to Swinedimples," I said. "And I do not think I can transport us to any place that I have not been before."

Sydney's eyes flickered downwards for a moment. Then she said, "Teach it to me."

"What?" I asked, thrown. Sydney was looking at me with an eager glint in her eyes. "Teach me how to cast Zoom! I've been to Swinedimples, I lived there for three years. If I can use the spell, I should be able to get us there in a second!"

For a moment, I hesitated. I did not know if Sydney would be able to cast the spell, nor what effect the wild flight would have on Connor. Then I looked down at Connor's face. Blue was beginning to tinge his lips. He needed help.

"Yes," I said, looking up. "I will teach you the spell."

I demonstrated the motion and explained how to determine where the spell would take us. "All right," said Sydney when I finished. "Make sure you've got a good grip on Connor. This is going to be…interesting."

I grasped Connor's hand. Opal took Sydney's left hand and my right shoulder, then looked around. "Where's Stella?" she asked.

"She left for Swinedimples at the end of the party last night," I said. "She wished to get a head start in searching for…whoever it is she is searching for." I had asked the faerie who 'old fatguts' was several times, but I had never received an answer.

"Okay then," Sydney said, and cast Zoom.

The plains dissolved into the swirling vortex that I remembered from other trips using the transportation spell. I attempted to tighten my grip on Connor, fearing that I would let go, but I could not move. The blur of colour whirled past us, until –

_Thump. _We landed on hard-packed snow as the colours formed themselves into a snowy landscape. Before us, behind a set of iron gates, stood a grand building with lovely architecture. "That's it!" exclaimed Sydney. "That's Swinedimples Academy!"

An older man in violet robes stared at us, clearly shocked. "Ah, hello," he said in a slightly choked voice.

"Sir," I said. "We need medical assistance for our friend. He was injured as we travelled here, and we believe he is going into shock." I glanced down at Connor as Sydney felt his wrist again. "It's weaker," she murmured.

"Come in, come in," said the man, opening the gates. "We have an, ah…excellent clinic at the school."

Opal, Sydney, and I lifted Connor carefully off the ground and followed the man into the gates. There were no children about, I noticed, and realised that it must have been after eleven in the morning. No doubt all the children were at lessons.

There were adults, however. All of them stared at us as we staggered after the headmaster. Connor was not very big, certainly, but then neither were the rest of us.

Sydney lifted Connor's legs slightly higher. Thinking she was attempting to make him easier to carry, Opal and I lifted his torso, too, but Sydney shook her head. "Keep everything else at a normal level," she said. "We just need to keep his legs elevated." So we lowered his torso. I was relieved; it had been harder to hold him up higher, and Opal was having to reach upwards just to stay on level.

The man led us through the school grounds and into the building. The halls were also devoid of any students, for which I was grateful. I could not imagine that we would go unnoticed if they were between classes.

"Here," said the man several minutes later, stopping beside a door. He opened it, and we carried Connor through into a very sterile-looking room. The people inside looked up as we entered, and I noticed that quite a few of them looked like students. They all wore white coats, but beneath some of them I could see blazers exactly like the one Sydney had lent me our first evening on the Iluugazar Plains.

"What happened?" asked a young woman with a long pink braid and wire-rimmed spectacles, running over. Underneath her coat, she wore a blue dress.

"He was stabbed in the gut by a splatterhorn," Sydney said. "I'm fairly certain he's gone into stage two hypovolemic shock. We stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wound, but he's going to need help."

"Of course," said the woman, looking from Sydney to Connor. "Let's get him into a bed."

She helped us ease Connor into one of the empty beds along the wall. "Prop up his legs with these," Sydney said, grabbing extra pillows from underneath the bed. I did so without bothering to ask why. Sydney knew better than me when it came to healing.

"Alan," called the pink-haired woman, "we're going to need blood…"

"On it," said a man with black hair, opening up a set of doors. Clearly, something was in place to keep the interior cool, for a slight vapour was breathed out into the room when he opened them. The woman muttered something, then looked at Sydney. "Do you know what type his blood is?"

Sydney shook her head. "And we don't have a sample. I'm not sure how safe it would be to let him lose any more."

"It won't take much," the woman said reassuringly. I was completely lost. There were different types of blood? And I could not understand how it was that having blood out here would be any help inside Connor.

Sydney clearly saw my bewilderment. "Don't worry," she said. "Swinedimples has the absolute most advanced medical technology. The students who study scientific medicine discover things all the time. Having people who work with magic helps, too."

The woman had taken a needle from a case in her pocket and was preparing to poke Connor's right arm – the arm that did not have a sleeve. "What are you doing?" I exclaimed.

"She's taking a blood sample, Zera," Sydney murmured, laying a hand on my arm. "That way Connor doesn't get a type of blood that would be harmful to him."

"Oh," I said, feeling my face go warm. "Don't worry about it," said the woman, smiling at me. "Few people know about blood transfusions, even though they've been around about a decade. And even fewer know about blood types, since they're even more recent. We're just trying to make sure he recovers as quickly as possible."

She poked the needle into Connor's arm, at which point I realised that it was hollow and clear. Red liquid flowed into it as it sat in Connor's arm, and when it was full, the woman removed it. The tiny hole barely wept a drop of blood.

The woman crossed to Alan and began fussing with something behind the doors. Snatches of their conversation drifted to me, but I could not understand much of it.

"Type O-positive…" said Alan. "We don't have much..."

"Over…behind that bottle…no, that's AB-negative, never mind…"

"Couldn't have been any other one…figures that now would be the time we can't find the right kind…"

Even though I could not quite follow, the tone of their words made me nervous. They clearly did not have much of the kind of blood that Connor needed. I shifted uncomfortably, wishing I could do something. And then I thought of it. I only hoped Celestrians _had _blood types.

"Try me," I called to the two healers. They looked at me oddly. "What?" asked the woman. "Try me," I said again. "There is a chance that I will have the type he needs, correct?"

The two of them exchanged glances. "I suppose so," said Alan.

"Um, Zera," said Opal. "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, you're…well, you're not exactly like the rest of us, you know?"

"I must try," I said. The two healers came over with a new needle. "Hold out your forearm," said the woman. I offered it, and she wiped it clean quickly. "This might hurt a little," she warned, and then she poked me with the needle.

I made a face at the sensation, but it was over very quickly. Then the woman withdrew the needle, and she and Alan moved to do whatever it was they did to determine the type. And then I saw both of them smile.

"Type O-negative," said Alan, turning. I sighed in relief. "Thank you," I whispered, glancing up. "Shall we, then?"

"Hold out your arm again," said the woman. "This might take a little while. Alan, if you could keep looking for O-positive in there, that would be helpful. The boy's going to need blood as soon as possible."

As Alan turned back to the cold closet, the woman put another needle into my arm, one with a rather large clear compartment. It could likely hold half a litre. I winced a little at the odd sensation, but I did not mention it. As the woman drew the blood, I heard the man who had walked us in speak.

"You three are the, ah…detectives, I take it?" he asked. I turned my head to look at him. "I assumed, as you said you were travelling here when your, ah…companion was injured."

The easiest answer was the one I gave: "Erm, yes." Opal and Sydney looked at me oddly, and I gave the tiniest of shrugs. Perhaps we would be able to assist those here while we searched for the final fygg.

"Yes, yes. Just as I, ah…surmised," said the man. "You have an air of, ah…savoir-faire about you. You're a skilled set of sleuths, and, ah…no mistake." I wondered briefly what savoir-faire was, but then disregarded it. The man was continuing:

"Now, the issue facing us is this: Another of our students has, ah…disappeared." My eyes widened. "That makes two now. If it happens again, I rather fear that the Academy's, ah…reputation may be called into question. It really is rather vexing… But, ah…now that we have experienced detectives on the case, I'm sure it will be solved in no time. A simple missing persons incident shouldn't trouble seasoned, ah…sleuths like yourselves, should it? Of course not."

It was silent for a moment, and then he said, "But forgive me, where are my manners?"

_Somewhere near the end of your sentences! _I thought. I bit down on my tongue as that thought came into my mind. It was enjoyable to think such things, but I knew that to say them could lead to trouble.

"Now, how does one address such renowned, ah…gumshoes as yourselves?"

We introduced ourselves, and Connor as well. "Of course, of course!" exclaimed the man then. "Must have heard it a thousand times. How could I, ah…forget? Now, Inspectors, I hate to talk of money, but, ah…"

"Headmaster," said the woman firmly. "I'm sorry to be rude, but now's not the time. Connor here will be recovered in a few days; until then, let them alone. They can stay here until they're all ready to begin working on the case. You can chat with them then."

"You are, ah…correct, Katharine," said the headmaster. "I will leave you to your work. Inspectors…when you are, ah…ready, come to my office. We will discuss things then."

He left, and I sighed. "Thank you," I said, looking to Katharine. She smiled. "Don't mention it," she said. "I know he can be a little overbearing sometimes."

The next ten or twelve minutes alternated between conversation and slightly awkward silences.

Alan had still not found any blood of the type Connor needed by the time Katharine withdrew the needle from my arm. "Here," she said, giving me a small bandage. I wrapped my small puncture as she collected materials from about the room.

"Now, awkward question," Katharine said. "You haven't had any kind of sexual intercourse or diseases transmitted by it, have you?"

I was impressed by how frank she was able to be about such a subject. "No," I said, shaking my head hard. "Believe me, I have not." _Yuck,_ I thought privately.

"All right," Katharine said. "We should be good. Zera, are you feeling all right?"

"I feel a little odd," I admitted. "Slightly shaky."

"That's normal," Katharine said. "Sit down, and get something to eat. There's food in the closet – not the one closest to you, the other one. It'll help."

I sat down on the edge of Connor's bed, as that was closest. Sydney pulled some meat out of her bag and handed it to me. "Thank you," I said. Feeling rather primeval, I bit into it and tore off a chunk with my teeth.

"It'll be a few days before you feel really back to normal," said Alan, who was returning from the blood closet. "I found a half-litre, Katharine."

"Brilliant," Katharine replied. "Now, how much blood do you think Connor lost?" She directed the question to Sydney.

"I think about twenty per cent," Sydney replied. "At his size, I'd say that's a little less than a litre." She grinned. "I guess you have the perfect amount here."

Alan and Katharine began setting up the blood and some clear tubing. They put one end into the blood they had obtained from me, and the other end was carefully inserted into a cleaned-off patch of Connor's skin.

As the blood began flowing into Connor's body, I marvelled at what the healers could do. It seemed amazing that one could take blood from one person and put it into the body of another. And I had to admit I was rather pleased that _my _blood was going into Connor, helping him to recover. It felt like the beginning of the apology I had intended to make before the splatterhorn attacked.

It also made me think. I could not help but wonder how closely related humans and Celestrians were. We shared generally the same form, with only the differences of wings and haloes, or lack thereof. As far as I knew, Celestrians and mortals had all the same parts; those of Celestrians simply did not have the functions mortals' did. And apparently, Celestrian blood could be transferred into the veins of a mortal. I just sincerely hoped that it would not have any ill effect on Connor.

I finished the hunk of meat Sydney had given me and decided that I was still hungry. However, I decided not to mention it until Connor was out of danger.

A quarter-hour later, with only a portion of my blood supplementing his own, his colour and overall appearance was much healthier. His skin was regaining its usual honey-gold hue, with a touch of red in the cheeks. I felt for his wrist and decided that his pulse felt fairly strong, and it was slowed to a normal pace. His chest was rising and falling at a normal pace, as well.

As though he were responding to my tentative hopes, Connor's eyes opened. Relief washed through me as I saw their fertile-soil colour, and it took a lot of self-control – and the memory of his wound – to keep me from flinging myself on him.

"Connor!" I exclaimed. He turned his head to look at me. "Zera…" he said. "I…where are we?"

"Swinedimples Academy," I said. "Sydney cast Zoom and got you here. And Katharine and Alan –" I gestured to them, and Connor looked – "fixed you up. They did some sort of blood thing to replenish what you lost."

Connor nodded, but I could tell he was confused. "I will explain in more detail later," I told him, laying my hand upon his own. "I am so glad you are better!"

I did not want to apologise with so many people about; I was not sure if my pride could take it. So I simply held onto Connor's hand and took him in: Alive, awake, safe. He would be healthy soon, I had no doubt; if the healers at Swinedimples could replenish his blood with mine, they could certainly take care of a wound.

And for the moment, we were together. Perhaps it was not an ideal arrangement, but we were both there. Sydney had been right when she had said that Connor and I were perfect together. At that moment, everything but Connor and I seemed indistinct, background. All that mattered was that we were together, however strange, uncomfortable, or bad the situation.

Connor was looking at me now, and I could see something odd in his face. Then he looked to the others. "…Could I talk to Zera?" he asked. "Alone?"

"Sure," Sydney said. "Come on, Opal." She pulled Opal away. Katharine and Alan followed after a brief, curious glance. Connor sighed. "Could you help me sit up?" he asked me.

Gently, I assisted him into a sitting position. "Connor, I –" I began, but stopped when I really looked at him. I could see something in his face that I had not ever seen before. It was…hunger?

No.

It was not hunger, at least not in the empty-stomach sense. I could recognise it, because I felt it every time I looked at him, however much I hid it even from myself.

It was need.

I felt a rush of joy as I finally, fully realised that I was not the only one who felt it. Now I could see the proof that Connor needed me as much as I needed him. I was certain that as I stared back at him, the need was reflected in my face. There was no way I could hide it now.

"Zera," Connor said. "We can't fight any more. There's only one fygg left. Time's too short."

"I know," I said. "I…I wanted to apologise…"

"You don't need to," Connor said. "I understand. And I should have trusted you. But that's not important any more."

I took a breath to steady myself. There was a strange heat that had begun to grow under my skin. I was shaky, I was frightened; but I was also exhilarated. My reasons for not giving in were fresh in my mind, but they did not seem to carry any weight. For the moment, I had lost all my resistance.

"No," I agreed. "It is not." Every part of me was awake and aware. The heat grew to an almost unbearable – yet also strangely wonderful – height. We were close enough together now that I could see every one of his eyelashes, every small fleck of colour in his eyes. I had never seen another being this close before.

My breath was coming surprisingly slow. I would have expected – if I had ever anticipated something like this – that it would be fast and jerky. But now that the moment was here, I was strangely calm. The flaming heat had settled down to a steady, underlying burn.

I lifted my chin and tilted my head slightly. I did not know how I knew what to do; it was instinctual. Our lips were almost touching…

"I saw a ghost!" screamed a voice, and we both jumped, whacking our heads together. We both looked towards the door, where a terrified-looking girl with blonde hair and the Swinedimples uniform was on the verge of collapse. "I saw a ghost!" she said again, the pitch of her voice rising with each word. "A real one! It was staring at me from the roof! A-And there's that story that if you touch the forehead of that statue up there, a ghost will come out and g-get you! That must've been the gh-ghost! …Wahh, I'm sc-scared! Don't let it get me! Whahhh…!"

She stopped screaming then, because she fainted. Even as she hit the floor, Sydney, Opal, and several of the healers were already rushing to her. I looked at Connor and felt a pang at being interrupted. "I shall be back," I said, and kissed him quickly on the nose before joining the others by the fainted girl's side. Connor had not had time to say anything.

"Melissa," said one of the healers. "She must have been playing hooky. It's the middle of fifth period, isn't it?"

Another nodded and put a vial of something beneath Melissa's nose. After several breaths, the girl revived and blinked. The healer put the vial in a pocket, and helped Melissa sit up.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Melissa blinked several times and looked around. "I… There was a ghost on the roof," she whispered. "We've heard," said another healer dryly. "You haven't had lunch yet, Melissa. It's easy to imagine things when you're hungry."

"I didn't imagine it!" Melissa exclaimed. "I was helping Sarah to the lunchroom, since she sprained her ankle and can't walk on it, and when I turned around I saw the ghost standing on the roof!"

"You could not have," I said without thinking. Every head turned to look at me, and I felt myself go red. "And why not?" asked Melissa, glaring.

"I… Erm, it… It is just…I thought only Celestrians could see ghosts," I said lamely. It was the truth, I reflected; unless a mortal had either been kissed by a Celestrian or been in a place that was not of their world – such as the Starflight or the Observatory – they were blind to ghosts, faeries, and Celestrians…or at least, they were supposed to be.

"Well, I saw this one," said Melissa, folding her arms. Sydney, Opal, and I retreated to Connor's bedside as the healers continued speaking to Melissa.

"A ghost," Opal said.

"A ghost that an ordinary mortal could see," I added. "That is distinctly odd."

"A hundred gold coins says the fygg has something to do with it," Connor said, grinning. We looked at him for a moment, and then I burst out laughing.

"What?" Connor asked.

"It…I am…" I tried to explain, but I simply began laughing harder. Finally, I choked out, "I am glad you are back, Connor!"

"Where did I go?" he asked innocently, making me laugh even harder. "If it were not for that wound," I gasped, "I would punch you, Connor –"

I stopped dead there, growing sober. The others were looking at me oddly. "What's the matter, Zera?" Sydney asked.

"I just realised…" I said. "I have known you all for nearly three weeks, and I do not know your surnames."

My companions looked to one another. "I never realised that," Opal said. "Huh. Weird." Then she looked to me. "Well, I'll help remedy that. My surname's Quinn." It was an unusual surname, I thought. Fitting.

Sydney bit her lip. "Mine's Hallimond, I think," she said. "I can't be entirely certain, though. I haven't had parents since I was three, so you'll forgive me if I don't remember exactly." She grinned, though, so I supposed it did not bother her overmuch.

"Trumble," Connor told me. "What about you? Or do Celestrians have surnames?"

"We do not," I replied. "There are few enough of us that surnames are not necessary."

I stopped talking then, for Katharine had come over. "I suppose you're both feeling better, then," she said, smiling. "Good."

"Both…?" asked Connor, raising his brows. Katharine looked at him. "Yes, both," she said. "You and Zera." When Connor looked to me, Katharine cleared her throat. "I think I'll go check on Melissa," she said, and left.

"What did she mean, 'you and Zera'?" Connor asked. I shifted, my eyes flickering to the blood that was flowing into Connor. "They could not find the type of blood they needed for you," I said, hoping that the mention of blood types would throw him off. I was not sure I wished Connor to know that I had given him my blood; I was certain he would object to it.

Unfortunately, he did not seem thrown. As a matter of fact, he seemed to realise what had happened. "And…what, you donated some?" he asked.

"Well, yes," I said, shifting again. "They determined that it was a type that would be safe for you, and so I donated a half-litre or so."

Connor dropped his head into his hands. "Almighty, Zera," he muttered. I could not help smiling. "That seems to be becoming your catchphrase," I said, attempting to lighten him up.

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Connor muttered. Then he looked up. "Zera, why did you do that? I would have been fine!"

"You do not know that," I argued. "The healers said that you needed blood. I was more than happy to give it to you if it would help you get better. And I thought you said we can't fight any more?"

Connor sighed. "Is there any point arguing with you? All I'm saying is that you didn't need to give up blood for me."

"Yes, I did," I replied, looking him straight in the eyes. "You do not know what it was like for me to see you that way and know that you might never wake up. I had already felt that way once before, in Coffinwell, and I did not wish for it to happen again. Not when I had the chance to help."

When I finished speaking, there was a long silence. Connor put a hand on top of mine. "Then thank you," he said. "But you don't need to go rushing to help me every time I'm in trouble. Sometimes I can take care of myself, you know."

"What time aside from here and in Coffinwell have I come rushing to assist you?" I asked.

"In Brigadoom," Connor said, "when Morag cast that curse –"

"That curse would have killed you," I interrupted. Connor looked at me for a long moment, then smiled. "Fine," he said. "We'll give this up. Neither of us is going to win this."

I smiled, as well. Then I heard a familiar voice from behind me: "What in the flap happened to you!"

All of us laughed, and we turned to face Stella – and our stay at Swinedimples Academy.

* * *

><p>Hello again, all!<p>

Now, you know I wouldn't have killed off Connor, don't you? I hope you had enough trust in me to know! Zera and Connor need each other.

So it's a warm welcome to Swinedimples Academy for our heroes. Let's wait to see what their stay will bring! May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you.


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you ready, Connor?"

Though I was standing behind him, I could clearly see Connor's expression, thanks to a mirror. He did not look ready.

"Are you absolutely sure we have to do this?" he asked. "I mean, I really like it this way. Do we really have to?"

"Would you rather go to detention?" asked Sydney, brusque as she could be with her voice so soft. "The headmaster said we have to play the part of students perfectly. And I'm afraid that means your hair has got to be a lot shorter!"

Connor scrunched up his shoulders. "Fine," he said, closing his eyes. "Make it quick, alright?"

I took the scissors off the table and fingered Connor's hair. I had been selected to cut his hair, though I did not know why. Perhaps it was because I was so much older. Theoretically, if I was older, I ought to have more experience.

That was not true in this particular case.

_Here we go,_ I thought, pulling a small lock up with the comb. As I prepared to snip, I heard Connor: "Keep _your _eyes open!"

My eyes snapped open about the time I realised they were closed. "I am sorry," I said, and cut the lock – eyes wide open this time.

As I proceeded, I grew more confidant with the scissors. The floor around the chair became littered with snippets of dark brown hair. Connor kept his eyes closed the entire time, and I admired the self-control it must have taken. It was not every person who would allow their hair to be cut without looking to see how it was proceeding.

As Connor had given me permission to play with his hair – within reason – I had made a plan of what to do with it when I finished cutting. "Sydney, could you hand me the beeswax?" I asked, setting down the scissors.

"'Beeswax'?" asked Connor, his eyes snapping open. I yanked the chair about so that it was not facing the mirror. I did not want him to see how it looked until I finished. "What in the world do you need beeswax for?"

Sydney handed me the small jar. "Thank you," I said, popping off the lid. As I got some of the sticky substance on my fingers, I told Connor, "Relax. You are the one who told me I could do things with your hair. If you do not like it, I can wash it out and fix it." That was true. Thanks to the snow that fell year-round in the Swinedimples area, there was always plenty of water. I had been able to take a long, warm bath each of the four nights we had been there.

"Alright," said Connor uncertainly, closing his eyes once more. Gently, I spiked a small area in front so that it stuck up. I looked at it for a moment, the cut it a touch shorter. Then I put down the scissors. "Done."

I had to help Connor stand. The healers had pronounced him fully recovered from what Sydney had dubbed 'hypovolemic shock', but the wound that had induced the shock was not yet fully healed. However, he had been deemed healthy enough to leave the clinic this morning, and so we were going to begin attending classes as soon as we looked the parts of students. Which meant cutting Connor's hair.

"What do you think?" I asked, looking at him in the mirror. His hair was much, much shorter now. It curled slightly in all but the area which I had stuck up with the beeswax. None of it was really long enough to be called _locks _any more.

For a long moment, Connor looked at his new haircut in the mirror, turning his head this way and that to examine it. Personally – though I may have been a touch biased in the matter – I thought it looked quite good this way. My eyes traced his jawline, the strong curve of his neck. He was beginning to fill out; his appearance was no longer as puppy-like as when I had first seen him. My stomach did a small flip.

Finally, Connor said, "I like it." He looked to me and smiled. The corners of my mouth pulled up instinctively in response. "You did a good job."

"Thank you," I said. "I think it suits you quite well."

Then I picked up the Swinedimples blazer and slacks that had been folded across the back of his chair. "Here," I said, holding them out to him. "You are the only one left who needs to change." It was true. The headmaster had provided Opal, Connor, and I with uniforms, as we were the only three in the school without them. Opal, Sydney, and I had changed before the healers had cleared Connor.

As Connor retreated to another room to change, I pulled at my tie. Sydney had shown me how to tie it, but I thought it was too tight. It loosened up slightly as I yanked.

When Connor returned, I could not help smiling. "That looks nice on you," I said. "We all match."

Opal laughed. "I think that's the point of the uniform, Zera," she said, grinning.

At that moment, the bell rang for the beginning of the lunch hour. "Ready?" asked Sydney, and we looked around at one another. "Ready," we replied, and we headed out for the dining hall.

Sydney seemed oddly excited as we crossed campus. She did not speak, but she strained ahead towards the dining hall as though there were something or someone waiting for her there. I was eager to reach the hall as well; I was hungry.

None of the students thronging towards the dining hall paid the four of us a second glance. I was quite glad that I had come here with Connor and the others; joining this school and not knowing anyone there would have been overwhelming. I held Connor a little closer than was necessary to help him walk. Being among this many people was not something I was accustomed to.

My mouth began to water when we entered the dining hall and saw the foods laid out on the tables. There were sandwiches, pasties, vegetables, and fruits. "Where do we sit?" asked Opal. I heard her stomach rumble above the buzz of conversation already filling the hall. We laughed.

Sydney was scanning the hall. Suddenly, she stiffened, and then ran off through the crowd. "What the –?" asked Connor, as we took off after her.

"David!" Sydney was calling, and a taller blond boy with spectacles turned. His eyes widened as they fell on Sydney, and I saw a smile spread across his face. "Syd!" he exclaimed. They embraced as we caught up to Sydney.

"Who is this, then?" I asked, smiling. Sydney and her friend broke apart, both smiling. "Zera, Opal, Connor, this is David. We were best friends while I was here. David, these are the friends I made when I was in Stornway."

There was a brief round of hand-shaking, and then David led us to a table with free seats. "So what brought you back here, Syd?" he asked as we sat. "I thought you were off to Stornway for adventure. How does this fit in?"

"I was," Sydney said.

I looked around the table. "Connor, could you pass me the platter of sandwiches by your elbow?"

He passed it to me as Sydney said, "This woman named Patty helped me out finding some companions for adventuring. Zera was travelling and needed companions, so Patty found me and told me about it. And well, I guess the rest is history!"

There was a sandwich on the platter made with chicken and mayonnaise, which I took. "Opal, do you want this?" I asked, gesturing at the platter. Opal nodded vigorously, and I passed her the platter. I also took a pasty, hoping that whatever inside it tasted good, and a red apple. I had always like apples.

"Mmm," Opal said through a mouthful of corned beef and bread. "This is delicious!"

"Really," Connor said. "I've never liked corned beef much myself." He put a forkful of peas into his mouth. As he chewed, I asked, "David, do you know anything about the students who have gone missing?"

Stella had found it hilarious that the headmaster had mistaken us for detectives, but she had been as certain as the rest of us that a fygg was behind it all. So we had officially taken it upon ourselves to solve the case.

"A bit," David replied. "One of those children was rude to the teacher, and the next day he wasn't there any more. He was the first one who went missing. I can't believe things have gotten so much worse since then…" He sighed.

"Don't worry about it," Sydney said. "I'm sure someone will figure out what's going on." She smiled. "Maybe it'll be up to us!"

I almost choked on my pasty trying not to laugh. As it was, David gave me an odd look. "I swallowed too much at once," I lied when I managed to swallow it down. "That is all."

Several minutes later, Sydney and David left to say hello to a friend, and Connor, Opal, and I were left alone at the table.

"Oi!" snapped a boy's voice from behind us. We turned to see a rough-looking blond boy scowling at us. On one side, there was a large boy with brown hair, and on the other was a scrawny-looking boy with messy black hair.

The blond boy spoke again. "Bugger off!" he said. "This is our table, divvies."

"Yeah!" sneered the scrawny boy. "Clear out!"

I stared at them coolly for a long moment, until they were visibly uncomfortable. Then I said, "I do not think we will."

"Oh, really?" asked the blond boy, his scowl deepening. I nodded shortly.

Each set of shoulders went back. "You'll clear out if ya know what's good for ya!" exclaimed the blond boy. I rose from my chair. "I would like to see you force us away!"

The blond boy gestured his two cronies back. Connor and Opal attempted to rise, but I said, "Let me do this." I fixed Connor with a look. I was certainly not going to let him fight with his injury.

I turned back to the blond boy and tensed myself for the fight. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see the students beginning to take notice of us. The crowd was quieting, aside from whispers.

For several moments, we stood there, sizing one another up. The boy was several inches taller than me, and most likely sixteen or seventeen – several years my senior, physically. But I had not just sparred with swords during my training. Aquila and I had brawled with our fists, as well. I did not doubt my chances against this bully.

I was the first to make a move. I lunged forwards, driving my fist at the boy's gut. He did not quite manage to evade the attack entirely, and I heard air _huff_ out of his lungs. I could hear several small cheers, and an increase in the whispering.

The boy struck out at me this time, straight towards my face. I blocked it easily and countered with a blow to his chest. This time, he did not dodge in time, and he groaned as my left fist hit him square on the sternum. I winced, but I had clearly done much more damage to him than to myself.

"Go, Zera!" cheered Opal, and the cry was repeated by several of the students. I allowed myself a brief grin as the fight continued.

Soon, it became clear that I was the better fighter. The boy managed to land a few blows, but mine landed far more often, more accurately, and with more force. But then, just when I thought that the victory was mine, the boy's cronies jumped me from either side.

I could hear the students yelling something, but I did not pay any attention. I was too busy attempting to fight off the two boys. The skinny one was not so difficult – he was half a foot shorter than me – but the large one seemed to be mostly muscle, to judge by how little give I got when I punched him. He was much stronger than me.

"HEY!" came David's voice. "Give the girl a chance, would you?"

I managed to extricate myself from the boys while they were distracted by David. He and Sydney were glaring at the three boys I had fought. Connor touched my hand, and he helped me to sit. I could feel bruises beginning to develop where the boys had double-teamed me.

"Get outta here, you three," David said. "All you've proved is that you have to team up to fight a teenage girl. Take your lunches and scram!"

The three boys glared at David for a moment. Then the two that had ganged up on me helped the blond one limp away.

David and Sydney sat back down. "I'd advise you to stay away from Fred and his lot, but I guess you've already learnt that," he said wryly.

I smiled, then winced. Smiling was not the best idea right then. "That would be correct," I said. "Is there any ice here? The brown-haired boy had a very hard fist." To no one's surprise, Sydney pulled a small blue pack out of her bag. When I took it, I decided it would be better than ice. It was very cold.

As the worst of my injuries was over my left eye, I held the pack there as we continued eating. I hoped that none of the teachers would notice – I did not wish to get detention on my first day. Several students came over and congratulated me on my fight with Fred, as I learnt the blond one was called. He was clearly very unpopular with the students.

When the bell signalling the end of lunch rang, my companions, David, and I stood. I was nervous. My first class was Level Eight Arithmetic. Connor was the only other one who was in the Level Eight class (they were broken up by age as well as skill), and he did not have the class during the same period as me. And so my first class would have to be faced alone.

Connor was off to a fisticuffs session. Opal was going to Level Six Language Elements. Sydney was headed for Third Year Magical Healing, and David was going to Level Ten Sciences.

I touched Connor's hand briefly before we parted ways. As we walked off, I realised that we had not really been apart since I had first seen him in Stornway, twenty-two (was it really? My figuring may have been off) days previous. Certainly, we had been away from one another, but never for long. Aside from during our fight, we had not been farther apart than a few rooms at one inn or another.

The idea of being away from Connor made me feel anxious, but I shook off the feeling. We would be forced to part soon; if I could not bear it now, when the separation was temporary, I would certainly not make it when the separation would be permanent. But as that thought gave me another anxious feeling, I pushed it away and headed for my arithmetic class.

The afternoon away from Connor was not fun.

After sitting through forty-five minutes each of arithmetic and language elements that had become simple for me half a century previous, it became clear to both myself and the teachers that my knowledge was much more advanced than the others in Level Eight. Each teacher had given me some sort of test to ascertain just how far ahead I was, to be completed sometime before the next class period.

Connor, Opal, Sydney, David, and I met up in the library when the final bell rang. Seeing Connor was an enormous relief; I had not realised until I saw him just how much I had missed him over the hour and a half we had been apart. Opal was chatting with another girl who had been in there already. As I sat down next to Connor and got out my tests, the girl said, "I found this big shiny fruit, so I put it on Sir Sternivus's grave, but when I went back, it had gone…"

"Weird," said Opal. She, Sydney, Connor, and I looked at one another. "I knew it was a fygg behind it all," declared Stella. She had just then fluttered in the door.

I turned my attention to the tests. "What're those?" asked Connor, glancing at them. "They are tests," I replied. "It seems that I am a bit beyond the Level Eight classes – at least in Arithmetic and Language Elements – and so the teachers gave me these to find out just how far ahead I am."

Connor smiled, and Sydney said, "I suppose you would be ahead of the rest of us."

"Why?" asked David. I bit my lip, and I could tell by the expression upon Sydney's face that she wished she could sew her mouth up. "Zera's, uh, been learning longer," said Opal, jumping in to save us. "She told us she started school early."

David nodded, turning attention to his homework, and the rest of us mouthed _thank you _to Opal. The little mage grinned and set to work practising some sort of charm.

The tests only took me half an hour to complete. All the questions had been quite simple, especially the reading questions on the Language Elements test. Spending over a century mainly in the library of the Celestrians _did_ have some effect, after all. I browsed around the school's library while the others worked on their homework.

There were books on alchemy, magic, history, and sciences; biographies, novels, and law books; even some books that were clearly student-written had ended up on the shelves. I found three novels, a book on basic alchemy (alchemy was one of my morning classes, and I wished to catch up to the rest of the class as soon as possible), and a book on great musicians of the Protectorate. I checked them out from the kindly-looking woman who presided over the library, then heaved the stack back to the table.

"Do you think you have enough?" asked Connor innocently, looking at the books. I smiled. "I am ready to become acquainted with the culture of mortals," I said under my breath. Showing him one of the novels, I said, "I think you told me of this one at some point."

Connor examined the cover, then nodded. "_The Travels and Times of Anthony Grancen_," he said. "That was a good read."

"I hope so," I said, opening it up. Unfortunately, I did not get much time to read. Opal, Sydney, and David finished with their homework soon. I heaved my borrowed books off the table, along with my tests, and accompanied them to the dorms.

"It won't be curfew until eight-thirty," Sydney said, "but we still probably ought to drop our things off in our rooms. That way we don't have to tote it all around until then."

Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I all had rooms next to one another. David's was down the hall a bit. I paused outside the door to my room, thinking I heard voices from inside. It turned out that I was correct.

"What's goin' on?" came a voice that sounded very much like that of the skinny boy I had fought earlier. "'Ow come it's only members of our gang gettin' tooken away?"

A voice that I did not recognise spoke next. "Oi, d'you reckon it's true what they're sayin' about it bein' a ghost doin' it?"

"Of course it ain't, divvy," said the voice of the skinny boy. "Why, you scared or summink?" When there was no response, the boy continued. "Anyway, Fred, I reckon you're prob'ly next on the list. What you gonna do if they come for ya?"

"Ha!" laughed Fred. "Let 'em come! If they reckon they can take me, I'll teach 'em a lesson they won't forget."

_The same way you taught me?_ I thought, smiling slightly. The skinny boy had begun speaking again.

"That's the spirit, Fred! I knew we could count on you."

As the conversation had lost its interesting quality, I chose that moment to enter. To my shock, the ghost of a middle-aged man stood in the corner of the room, directly behind Fred. It faded away as I saw it. The other two boys in the room were – as I had guessed – the ones who had jumped me when I had beaten up Fred.

When Fred recognised me, I noticed something in his face. It seemed almost like…fear? Respect? Whatever it was, it quickly vanished under a scowl. "You looking for trouble or summink?" he asked. "Get out! Go on, scram!"

"If anyone is to be scramming, it would be you," I replied coolly. "This is my room."

"Sorry," said Fred. His cronies looked at him in shock. Judging by their expressions, they had most likely never heard Fred apologise. "We'll get out of yer way," Fred continued, ignoring his gang's stares. "Come on, you lot, shift!"

They left the room. "Hey, did you see that ghost?" asked Stella as I placed my books on the desk. When I nodded, she said, "Something's afoot, and it's not just the thing at the end of my leg! Hang on, maybe one of those kids is about to be spirited off! Well, we can't let that happen, can we! Get after them!"

I looked at her. "Stella, I am not going to follow around the boy I beat up, nor the boys who double-teamed me," I said. "I have no intention of 'getting after them' until I speak with the others and tell them what I heard – and saw."

"…Well, get on it, then!" said Stella, taking a second to regain her composure. I set my bag down next to the desk and left the room, closing the door behind me. Stella slipped out before the door shut all the way.

The four of us and David – who seemed well on his way to becoming a part of our group – met outside Opal's room. "Something interesting just happened," I said. "Fred and his cronies were inside my room when I stopped by the door." And I proceeded to tell them what I had heard. I did not mention the ghost, as David was there; but Stella did. It _was _useful to have the faerie around, when she was not being tactless. My companions hid any reaction to the news of the ghost quite well.

"That is interesting," Sydney said. "David, did you know it was only members of Fred's gang?"

David shrugged. "Yeah," he said, "but I never really put it together. I wonder if there's a connection there…"

"There must be," asserted Opal. "You said that the first one to go missing was rude to the teacher. That's got to be something to do with it. Are Fred and his gang usually rude?"

Sydney snorted. "The question would be _when are they not?_" she said. "They're rude to the teachers, lazy with schoolwork, bullying to any student who isn't part of their gang, and uncooperative. They never even show up for detentions – or at least, they didn't while I was here."

"It hasn't changed," David said.

I nodded. "There is certainly a connection between all of this," I said. "Perhaps we ought to ask around and find out more about these disappearances."

Of course, as soon as we were out of doors I regretted suggesting it. Snow was beginning to make its way down once again, and it was freezing cold outside. My left hand, inside Connor's, was warm enough; but my right hand was soon frozen. My legs were chilly, too, along with my feet. As much as I liked the starlet sandals, they were not practical for Swinedimples's climate.

When we asked about the vanished students, a plump boy with a brown bowl cut told us, "They were both there one minute and gone the next… I bet it was a ghost that did it. I bet you anything."

I bit my lip upon hearing that. This was now the second time a student had spoken of a ghost. Added to the ghost that had been in the corner of my room, things were indeed beginning to look as though a ghost was involved in this mystery as deeply as the final fygg. But what really bothered me was that people seemed to be able to _see _the ghost. And if the ghost was to blame for this, then it must be able to manipulate matter in some way. I had never heard of a ghost with that ability. Possession, yes; but the ability to make students disappear? That was unheard of.

I did not have a good feeling about this.

The notebook I had purchased in Stornway gained a new use over the next two weeks. I drew in it still, adding to my tiny collection of sketches; but it also became the notebook where I wrote down everything we had learnt about the case so far. The students were rather helpful, despite not knowing that we were actually attempting to solve the case. And the teachers, who thought we were detectives, were just as helpful, although one teacher mistook me briefly for a student from another school. She feared I was attempting to 'steal their secrets'.

I grew to enjoy school life. Being apart from Connor was no fun, of course, but it made seeing him again that much better. I had reached a point where I started having difficulty falling asleep, thinking about Connor until late into the night. And more than once, he starred in my dreams once I finally found sleep.

My classes were quite enjoyable, once the teachers finally found a level at which I had some slight matter of difficulty. I was taking Beginning Alchemy (where once, a small girl named Alchemilla attempted to get me to do her homework for her), fan-wielding, music, and Level Twelve Arithmetic, Sciences, Language Elements, and History. Even those were simple, but they were the highest at the school. I had purposely missed several questions on the tests so that no one would become suspicious.

After we had found out that it was members of Fred's gang that were vanishing, the five of us (including David) had set up a rotation so that each remaining member would always be under supervision. I was usually trailing Fred, for what reason I did not know. But it was my suspicion that he would be the next to vanish.

One evening, after supper, pudding, and a warm bath, I sat in my room. It was eight thirty, curfew. I was deeply absorbed in a book I had checked out from the library that afternoon, an anthology of the legends and myths of the Protectorate. The stories seemed fascinating to me, perhaps because so many of them focused on my people. It astounded me how accurately the majority of Celestrians were portrayed within the pages.

I was distracted from my reading by a knock at my door. "Zera?" came Connor's voice from outside. I closed my book and moved to open the door, feeling a smile spread across my face. Something always felt wrong when I was away from Connor; even hearing his voice made things better. When I opened the door and saw him, he smiled, too.

"Sydney just told me – there's a dance tonight in the auditorium," he said. "It's supposed to start at nine and end at midnight. Would you, er, like to go?"

"With you?" I asked, smiling.

"Well, yeah," he replied. "Would you?"

For a moment, I did not answer. I had to work to hold back a smile at the poorly hidden look of worry that started to bloom on Connor's face. He was so cute, whatever his mood!

Then I said, "Yes."

My smile broke free as I saw relief cross his face. "Did you think I would decline _you_?" I asked, giving him a hug.

"Not entirely," he replied, squeezing me back. "I guess we'd better start getting ready, then."

"Why?" I asked. "Are we not to wear our uniforms?"

Connor shook his head. "The school store has a ton of dancing clothes for tonight," he told me. "They're all on loan, or so Sydney said." He smiled. "I'll come by at eight fifty-five to walk you down."

I smiled. "I shall see you then." I left the room. While Connor headed back to his room, I walked out and down to the school store. It was a bit crowded, but not so much so that I could not look around.

This was rather exciting. As Celestrians did not have dances, I had never been to one before. And certainly never with anyone like Connor. My stomach did a small flip as I thought about dancing slowly with him. His hand on my waist, mine on his shoulder, the two of us dancing close…the very idea made me tingle all over.

The area around the store was full of dresses and fancy boys' clothing. It was noisy – every girl in the school seemed to be there gossiping about who they intended to go with and what they hoped to find to wear. Several who I knew waved at me through the crowd. I waved back before turning my attention to the dresses.

There seemed to be thousands of them, in every style and colour I could imagine. Eye-popping-ly orange, short halter tops mingled with long, serious black dresses. There were backless, ankle-length, low necklines, asymmetrical numbers, and tube tops; pink, black, orange, silver, blue, turquoise, red, purple, and yellow. There were several racks of shoes, most of which seemed to have some sort of heel to them. On the counter were rows of jewellery that, while clearly costume, were rather nice-looking. _How does one choose!_

Stella was extremely opinionated. Over the past few weeks, she had taken to hanging around me rather than searching for 'old fatguts'. And it turned out that she did have a fair eye for fashion.

"Zera!" she called from beside a rack. "Come over here and have a looksee-daisy at this one!"

I waded through the crowd of students to join her beside the rack. She was pointing to a black dress that I could not see much of. "Pull it off and look!" she said, clearly excited. "I think this one would be perfect for you!"

My eyes widened when I pulled the dress off the rack. It was a tube top, black, with a turquoise belt as a waistband. In the front was an area of turquoise cloth descending from the waist to the base of the dress. It was only as wide as my forearms put together at the top, but it widened as it descended.

"It is lovely," I murmured. The skirt was full, giving it enough extra material to spin nicely if I decided to execute some sort of pirouette. "Stella, I must admit that you are a genius when it comes to clothing."

She flicked her blond hair out of her face. "It's one of my many talents," she said oh-so-humbly. I bit my tongue in an attempt to restrain laughter. "Well, it is one that comes in quite handy tonight," I replied. "Come, I wish to pick accessories!"

I found a pair of tan sandals with a four-centimetre wedge on the back. Some of the leather covered up my toes; a strip of it connected the toe-covers to a strap that wound about my ankle. They seemed as though they would stay on, and according to Stella they complimented the cool colours of my dress. At the jewellery counter, we found a mock-silver-chained necklace with a turquoise pendant.

I changed as soon as we reached my room, then put on my necklace and shoes. Stella looked at me, tilting her head to the side. "It needs something different…" she said, and then her eyes lit up. "I've got it! Wait here and I'll be back in two shakes of a puppy's tail," she promised, and flapped out of the room.

So I waited. Soon enough, Stella had reappeared with a turquoise ribbon clutched in her hands. "Take your hair down and take off your headband," she commanded.

When I did so, she fluttered around behind me and started doing something to my hair. "Stella, what are you –?" I asked, but she cut me off. "No questions!" she sang. "Let me finish and I'll find you a mirror to look in."

She was finished very quickly. "Don't look, don't touch," she commanded, and then steered me to the long mirror on the back of my door.

I stood for a moment, taking in the person in the mirror. She was quite pretty. Her violet hair was tied in an elegant bun, aside from two locks in front – the same two locks that always hung out of my ponytail. The dress hung elegantly from where it cinched at her waist. Her necklace hung almost to the top of the dress, and silver bangles dangled on her wrists. She seemed several centimetres taller than she really was, thanks to a pair of tan leather wedges.

"Thank you, Stella," I murmured. Stella grinned. "Mention it all you like," she said. I laughed, then heard a knock on the door. My heart began beating faster as I went to open it, but it was not Connor. It was Opal.

She looked different. She had taken off the turban she had found in Bloomingdale, and taken her hair out of its usual pigtails. It must have been straightened, I decided, for the last time I had seen her with her hair out of the turban, it had been incredibly kinky. Now it fell just below her shoulders in a thick, slightly stiff black sheet. The left side was held off her forehead with a pink hairclip.

Her dress was distinctly reminiscent of Stella's shirt. But it was pink, rather than orange, and it fell to just above her knees. She wore black wedge sandals that jettisoned her about seven centimetres higher into the air, held on only by a strap with a pink bow on top. She still wore the gold hoop earrings and spirit bracer. I had to smile. The ensemble was just so very _Opal_!

"Zera!" she said, beaming her usual smile. "You look so pretty!"

I felt my cheeks warm slightly. "Thank you," I replied. "You look very nice, as well."

For a moment, we simply stood there. Then, Opal asked, "Soo…did Connor ask you!"

"Yes," I replied. "Otherwise I would not even know that this dance is happening. Is Sydney going?"

Opal stopped dead. "I dunno," she said. "She didn't say." After a moment, she shrugged. "Well, if she is going we'll see her there," she said. "I'd better get going – I want to be there early!"

She bounded off, and I looked at the clock on my desk. It was eight fifty-two. My stomach did a flip as I closed the door. I tried to read, but I could not. I could not even bring myself to sit. I was far too excited!

When, three minutes later, I heard a knock at my door, my heart went into overdrive. I opened the door, smiling, and my eyes widened as I beheld Connor.

He wore a simple white collared shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It was tucked into his khaki-coloured pants. He wore a red tie that disappeared underneath a dark grey sweater vest. A thin strip along the neckline of the vest was red. He had on a brown belt, and shoes of the same colour.

And he was very handsome.

A smile touched his lips when he saw me. "You look beautiful," he told me, and held out a hand. "May I escort you to the dance, my dear?"

I laughed and took his hand. "You sound odd when you put on airs such as that," I informed him, and closed the door behind us as we left for the auditorium.

"I know," Connor replied, smiling. "But you sound perfectly natural."

"Well, I grew up speaking this way," I said. "I should hope it sounds natural from me." We continued passing remarks back and forth as we crossed the dark, snowy grounds to the auditorium.

It was loud inside. The enormous room was lit up by dozens of lanterns and an enormous chandelier that I was certain had not been there during my fan-wielding class that morning. A number of music students were positioned upon the raised dais in front, playing a lively dancing song.

I suddenly felt incredibly out of place. I had never danced in my life, and certainly not around so many people. Celestrians did not dance; they did not usually have time. Besides, most of them considered it to be below their dignity.

Connor seemed to sense my sudden discomfort. "What's the matter?" he asked, looking at me. I looked to the floor as I replied. "I do not know how to dance."

"…Well," Connor said after a moment's hesitation, "it's not hard. C'mon." He moved around in front of me and took my other hand. "Just do what I do." He bent his knees slightly in time with the music. I copied his motion.

Slowly, the infectious beat of the music and Connor's encouragement got to me, and I was dancing. I could not help but smile. This was such fun!

I glimpsed Opal several times. She was weaving in and out of the crowd, smiling brightly. It seemed that she was dancing with someone different each time I saw her. She was quite good at it, as well. She fit this perfectly.

At about ten o'clock, I noticed something odd going on in the middle of the floor. Connor and I moved towards it, curious. The students were clearing out of a large circle in the centre of the auditorium while one pair danced.

The boy was David, wearing a black jacket and pants to match. But it took me a long moment to recognise the girl. She wore a halter-topped blue dress that dipped down just slightly in the front, showing a faint hint of cleavage. It was cinched at the waist by a row of sparking imitation jewels, and draped to her ankles. The skirt spun out a long ways whenever the girl would spin. She wore minimal jewellery – only a thin silver bangle on her right wrist. Her shoes had a slight heel to them, and were held on by some sort of thong. She wore a light grey headband with a diamond-shaped blue mark in the centre. She was an incredibly elegant creature.

And my mouth dropped open as I realised: She was _Sydney!_

I had never imagined Sydney in that way – elegant, graceful, beautiful. She was always just Sydney, a healer and friend, wise and caring, soft and gentle. The transformation – such as it was – was incredible to behold. I could understand why the students had moved. Sydney and David were dancing together so gracefully; no one felt that they could live up to them.

At the end of the song, the two of them stopped dancing and came over to where Connor and I stood. Sydney had a smile upon her face.

"That was incredible!" exclaimed Opal. I jumped – I had not known that she was as close to us as she was. "I didn't know you could dance that way, Sydney!"

"You two were excellent," I told them. "I have never seen a pair dance so beautifully. Not even the Right Knight and Simona!"

Sydney blushed and pushed at her hair. "Thanks," said both she and David. Sydney's voice seemed to be on the brink of morphing into a laugh. I had never seen her so happy.

We moved through the auditorium, faintly trailing Fred and the remaining members of his gang. Even at the dance, we were not going to leave them unwatched for a moment. Who knew when one of them might vanish?

The dance continued through the hours preceding midnight. Sydney, David, and Opal dispersed after the other members of the gang, while Connor and I stayed on Fred's trail. But we were not paying much attention to Fred. We danced until our feet and our calves were sore, and danced still. I had never had such fun in my life!

And then, perhaps twenty minutes before midnight, the music students struck up a slow tune. I felt my skin grow warm as Connor and I moved together to dance to the new song. His hands went on my waist, and mine onto his shoulders. For several minutes we swayed to the music, staring into one another's eyes. The heat under my skin was not fading, but it was not so bad. It was actually a very pleasant feeling.

Almost without noticing it, we moved closer. My hands moved from his shoulders to clasp around his neck, and his arms tightened around my waist. I was shaky, but not from fear. Something deep inside of me knew what to do…and all of me wanted to. I no longer cared what pain it might cause me when Connor and I were forced to part. It would be worth it.

And there, in the back of the Swinedimples auditorium, Connor and I kissed.

I still do not know how long it lasted. It felt like forever, and yet it was still not enough time. When we finally broke apart, I stared up at his face. My lips felt strangely cold now without the gentle pressure of Connor's. It reminded me of the night in Stornway when I had told Connor of my origins. When he had removed his hand, mine had felt as cold as my lips did now.

I would have thought that kissing Connor would be like taking a long draught of cold water when I was thirsty – that it would quench the longing I had felt for him for however long. But it was not. It did not quench me. It left me wanting – or was it needing? – more. Much more.

But before I could raise myself up to kiss him again, I heard Opal: "Zera! Connor!"

We turned to see Opal, along with Sydney and David, hurrying towards us. "What is it?" I asked. It came out snippier than I had intended. But then Sydney spoke, and the snippiness drained away.

"It's Fred and his lot – they're gone!"

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone!<p>

Before I say anything else, I've got a few apologies to make.

1: I'm sorry if I take longer updating the next few chapters. We're travelling all over visiting family, so I don't know how often I'll have acess to a computer to write.

2: Connor's coup de grace. I called it War Cry, but that wasn't right. I realised that it's actually Roaring Tirade, and that's how I'll put it any time he might use it during the rest of the story.

3: A number of monster mistakes. In the second chapter, I put a salamarauder in the Loch Storn area; in Connor's story, I put axolhotls there; I shoved a peckeral into the Gleeban desert; and Connor would have had to have been a lot further east to get stabbed by a splatterhorn. The monster I meant was a swineocerous. Super sorry, and I'll try to get it right from here on out!

So, what did you think of David and Sydney? I've got to say that even though Zera's my main character and I love her, Sydney's my favourite when it comes to revealing things. Since she's so quiet and reserved, I can really make up anything about her - that she was a thief, that she was with a guy at Swinedimples, and that she's a totally killer dancer.

Keep reviewing; hearing feedback is great. It really helps me know what I might want to do to try to improve, and that's always important. So until we meet again, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	18. Chapter 18

_"It's Fred and his lot – they're gone!"_

It was only moments before we left the auditorium in search of Fred and his cronies. I, however, could not focus entirely on the search; I was hyperaware of Connor's presence beside me. My entire body was tingling, and my head was reeling.

I tried to make myself focus after nearly falling face-first into a huge snowdrift. It was still difficult. The kiss had been so wonderful, absolutely perfect, like nothing I had ever imagined. And I wanted more.

We found Fred and his cronies hiding out on the side of the auditorium furthest from the dorms. When he saw us, his face twisted into a scowl.

"Wot the 'eck are you up to?" he asked. "Wot've you followed us all the way up 'ere for?" He looked over us for a moment. "'Ang on. I get it. You wanna be in our gang, don'tcha?"

Connor, Opal, Sydney, David, and I all looked to one another. Opal gave a slight shrug. So I turned back to Fred and the others. "Yes."

Fred regarded us for a moment longer. His eyes lingered on me, and then he said, "Alright yer in - 'Ang on, I don't even know yer flippin' names yet."

We introduced ourselves, and Fred replied, "Pleasure." I nearly laughed. Hearing Fred attempt courtesy was amusing!

To keep myself from laughing (and to distract myself from Connor…he was so very close…one quick kiss wouldn't bother anyone, would it…?), I said, "When you were in my room on my first day, I saw a ghost behind you."

"Hah!" laughed Fred. "Pull the uvver one!" He folded his arms and said, "Only kids believe in ghosts. An' I ain't no kid, alright?"

"Alright," I said, but I must not have sounded convincing, for Fred scowled again. "What?" he asked. "You fink I'm scared or summink? Well I ain't, an' I'll prove it. We'll see if there's such a fing as ghosts or not. They say if you touch that statue on the roof's fore'ead at midnight a ghost appears. Come along an' we'll see if it's true."

He walked out, followed by his cronies. After a moment, we followed them through the grounds and into the school proper.

Swinedimples was creepy at night. Every bench, every door, every potted plant had a new, more frightening look in the darkness. My vision was sharper than that of most mortals, but in this level of darkness it only meant that I could see outlines of even more things. I held tight to Connor.

The statue on the roof was revealed to be a Guardian statue. I bent over to read the words carved into its base: _Noctura, Guardian of Swinedimples_.

I had known Noctura, vaguely. She had come into the library fairly often, and she was one of the few Celestrians with whom Aquila could be civil. Of course, she looked nothing like the statue suggested, but I was accustomed to that. The mortals' statues never looked like us.

Fred cleared his throat, and I looked up. "_Anyway_," he said as I moved back to Connor, "leave the rest up to me. Watch this, you lot." He moved to the railing. "OI, GHOST!" he shouted, causing all of us to jump. "IF YOU'RE THERE, WHY DON'T YOU SHOW YER BIG, UGLY FACE! SHOW YERSELF AN' I'LL KNOCK YER BLOCK OFF WIV MY MEGATON PUNCH!"

There was a long pause. Then: "…WHAT'S WRONG? SCARED, ARE YA?"

This was followed by an even longer pause. Finally, Fred murmured, "That's weird. No ghost."

"Of course there ain't no ghost, divvy," scoffed the large boy. "It's just a story. Did you really fink it was gonna show up?"

"Yeah, see," Fred said, turning. I could see a faint flush on his cheeks. "It's just like I said. There's no such fing as ghosts. Eh…?"

My eyes widened as I saw the ghost that had been in my room materialise behind Fred. I could feel the chill from all the way over here, and I was not surprised that Fred seemed to notice something. A ghost as powerful as this one seemed could be felt even by ordinary mortals.

"Ooo!" growled the ghost in a deep, resounding voice. "Yooou wicked, disobedient children. How dare yooou! Sneaking out of bed at night to run around causing mischief…"

Both of Fred's cronies had jumped when the voice sounded. "Aaaaaagh!" yelled the skinny one. "What the 'eck was that? Wh-Wh-What was that voice?"

"What d'you fink it was, divvy?" asked the big one, clearly just as panicked. "It was a bloomin' ghost, weren't it!"

"Keep yer 'air on, both of ya!" said Fred dismissively. "Din't I just tell ya there's no such fing as ghosts!" Despite his tone, I could see the fear in his face. He could sense the ghost as clearly as any of us.

"Yooou no-good little monster!" bellowed the ghost. "Yooou are a disgrace to Swinedimples! Ooo, I'll teach yooou a lesson or twooo! You're coming with me to detention. I'll teach yooou to behave if it's the last thing I dooo!"

With that, he drifted forward and dematerialised – right into Fred. "Wh-What!" Fred yelped, his arms and legs jerking. "Oi! Leave me alone! Get out of me 'ead…!"

He shook for a second more, then grew still. He turned to the railing, and I realised what was happening. The ghost was possessing him!

The voice that issued from his mouth was his, but it was flat and emotionless. "…I AM A NO-GOOD LITTLE MONSTER…"

His body moved forwards. "…I AM A DISGRACE TO SWINEDIMPLES…"

To all of our shock, he leapt up onto the railing, and from there, Noctura's head. "…I MUST LEARN MY LESSON…"

And then he leapt off the statue's head.

We all rushed to the railing to see that he had somehow landed without harm. He straightened, and ran off towards the east. I realised as he rounded the corner that he was headed for the grave of Sir Sternivus Swinedimple, the first headmaster.

Fred's cronies were stammering something, but I did not listen. "We must go after him," I said. "The ghost is the one who kidnapped the others, I am certain of it!"

Sydney nodded, and David said, "Everyone knows that the old school can be accessed under Sir Sternivus's grave. That might be where the kidnapped students are being kept."

We headed down the stairs and to our dorms. I had a feeling that there was going to be a fight somewhere, and all of us wished to be prepared. But rather than grabbing my fan and racing out, I stopped for a moment in the privacy of my room.

What happened now?

I had never been in any sort of relationship. Celestrians did not engage in physical things such as kissing. I had absolutely no idea what came after a first kiss. What was the proper response? How did you tell them you wanted another? I hardly thought normal rules – whatever those may have been – applied in the situation of Connor and me. Even as I thought, the clock bell began to toll midnight. This could well be my last day upon the Protectorate. What on earth did one do in a situation such as this?

My heart began to race as I thought of possibilities. Surely, if it was the last time one could ever be with who one loved, the normal rules were off? Modesty, propriety…could any of it matter if it was the only chance I would ever have to be with Connor?

A knock – closer to a banging – on my door roused me from my thoughts. "Zera, hurry it up in there!" Stella said. "What are you waiting for, July?"

"I am coming," I said, putting my fan in the waistband of my dress. I headed out into the hallway, and felt my skin grow warm as I saw Connor with the others. But I tried to shove the feelings out of my head as all of us headed to Sir Sternivus's grave.

The gravestone had been shoved aside, revealing a set of stairs that led down into the dank, dark ruins of what had previously been Swinedimples Academy.

"I can't see anything down there," whispered Opal. Sydney pulled a tinderbox out of her bag, which she must have retrieved from her room. I smiled. "You are always prepared, are you not?"

Sydney smiled. "Yes," she replied. "Zera, you take this. Your night vision is best. There're torches all down here. I think the first one is in the wall right next to the stairs."

So I led the way down into the Old School, lighting torches as I came to them. Wight monsters and creatures David dubbed cheeky tikis stared at us as we passed and shielded their eyes from the light. It must not have been light down here in years – decades, perhaps, or even a century or two. Bookcases full of books ruined by damp lined the walls. Several were tipped onto their sides.

"And I thought it was creepy earlier," muttered Connor. "This place breaks the measuring rod for 'creepy'."

"You got that right," said Opal. I slowed slightly until I was walking next to Connor. We grasped hands as we continued through the Old School.

On the second level down, we were confronted with a large pool of acid. There was no way around it. A door stood in the wall on the other side, the only part of the school we had not checked already. If we wished to look inside, we would have to cross through the acid.

"How strong do you think it is?" asked David.

Sydney shrugged. "I'll check," she said, and rummaged through her bag for a moment. Then she pulled out a feather.

"This should tell us," she said, dropping it into the acid. Almost as soon as it touched down, the feather began dissolving in the purple pool. It was gone within five seconds.

We stood there for a moment. "That's not good," Connor said. We looked at one another. Then Opal exclaimed, "I've got it!"

She was beaming. "I learnt this spell called Safe Passage," she told us. "It'll let us across the acid without us dissolving like the feather!"

With that, she gestured around us with her knife hand and closed her eyes. A soft light settled in around us. "Perfect," Opal said, opening her eyes. "Now let's go. I can't keep this up for long."

We raced across the pool of acid without any harm.

I paused with my hand on the handle of the door, looking to the others. "Are you all ready?"

Four heads nodded. Stella folded her arms and said, "Well, let's get in! The fygg isn't going to find itself! …Probably…"

I bit back a smile and opened the door.

The room it led into was not occupied, but light was spilling in from a doorway to my left. When I peered in, I saw Fred and two other students sitting in desks. The ghost stood by the blackboard.

"Yooou, girl!" he cried when he saw me. "You're late! Are Swinedimples students these days really such daydreaming dawdlers?"

A suspicion about the ghost's identity began to form in my mind. I gestured slightly with my left hand, which was out of the ghost's sight, to the others. _Stay back_.

"Well?" asked the ghost? "What are yooou waiting for? Don't just stand there with your mouth open! I'm talking to yooou, idiot girl! Now sit yourself down!"

"Get out of 'ere, Zera!" called Fred. He still faced the blackboard, but I could see his eyes straining to look in my direction. "Peg it while you still can! The old loony's put some spell on us so we can't flippin' move! 'E'll get you an' all if you don't get out of 'ere!"

I gestured again to the others to stay put. Then I entered the room and approached the ghost. He glared at me. "Did I not tell yooou to sit down!" he asked. I set my shoulders and raised my chin, fixing the ghost with a steely stare.

"Don't give me that look, young lady!" he exclaimed. "Or are yooou trying to get yourself in trouble?"

"I do not need to try," I responded, my stare slipping into a faint smile. "Trouble finds me whether I wish it or not."

"Fooolish child!" roared the ghost, and it took effort to keep from flinching. "Yooou dare to answer me back? Do yooou think yourself some kind of hero already? There is no place at Swinedimples for such extraordinary impudence! Idiot girl!"

A dark cloud swirled in around him. When it cleared, it revealed a huge, beast-like monster. It held a book in one hand, and it loomed over me.

"I am Sir Sternivus Swinedimple, founder of this academy."

_I thought so!_

"Yooou will dooo as your superiors tell yooou! Yooou will not be educated until yooou can learn to behave. And punishment is the only way one so obstinately disobedient as yourself will ever learn!

"Now, girl, it is time to learn your lesson!"

As he roared, I shouted, "Come!" and waved my companions forward. Connor pelted the old headmaster with a handful of pebbles that he must have gathered while they waited.

Sir Sternivus retaliated by whacking Connor in the head with his huge book. I began to rush to him, but before I reached his side, Sir Sternivus cast Crackle. An icicle stabbed into each of us, and I shouted as the freezing point jabbed my skin. Four other shouts showed that my companions had been hit, as well.

Sydney pulled herself together and moved to Connor. They exchanged a word or two, and Sydney cast Midheal. I could see the look of relief on Connor's face as the spell took effect.

Opal cast her own Crackle spell, and I smiled with satisfaction as Sir Sternivus shouted. Then I, too, cast Crackle. I was in the mood to inflict pain.

David was the last to move. His sword shone with a blue light as he slashed into Sir Sternivus's hide, and a second blue light swirled around where the icicle had jabbed him. The mark healed itself as I watched. I grinned. "Good one!" called Sydney, and David grinned in response.

The battle was not quite an easy one. All five of us were tired, both from the lateness of the hour and from the dance. Several times, I felt my eyes drifting shut, and I was forced to wrench them open again.

It felt like much later, though it was likely only a short time, when one of David's excellent critical hits caught Sir Sternivus and he collapsed to his knees. That did not seem like a bad idea, I thought, tearing my lids open once more. _ This is ridiculous!_

"Noooooo!" roared Sir Sternivus. "Without me, my academy will be overrun with lazy, oafish, impudent boys and girls! Ooooooooo! My head! Oooooo!"

A bright light flashed, and a fygg appeared before me. It floated down into my hands as Sir Sternivus returned to his transparent, ghostly form. He looked around in surprise and evident confusion.

"Hm!" he said. "Whatever is going on? This is my, ah…classroom, is it not?"

As he looked to the students, I wondered if hesitant, drawn-out speech was a requirement for a Swinedimples headmaster. His voice was not so deep any more; in fact, it sounded rather like that of the current headmaster.

"And you children must be Swinedimples students!" Sternivus exclaimed. "Marvellous, marvellous…but, oh, ah…whyever do you all look so glum?" I could see by his expression that he truly did not know.

"Are you bloomin' jokin'?" asked Fred. "Because you dragged us down 'ere and locked us up, you 'orrible old ghost!"

The other boy in the room moaned. "Ooo, I'm bursting for the toilet!" he groaned. "I can't wait much longer! It's no use, I'm…gonna go! I'm gonna gooo!"

"Urrggghh," moaned the blond girl on the far side of the room. Her stomach gave a loud, hollow-sounding rumble. "I'm so hungry… I feel faint… Got to get out of here and get something to eat…" Her stomach gave another rumble, and Sydney moved to her. She pulled something out of her bag as I turned my attention back to Sternivus.

"I locked you all up?" he asked, clearly shocked. "Are you sure? …Oooh, ah…perhaps I did, yes…" He had a sheepish expression upon his face.

"I, ah…seem to remember a little now… You must forgive me, children. I, ah…really wasn't quite myself, you see."

He took a step forwards. "But even in my, ah…unfortunate state, I had your best intention – by which I mean your, ah…rehabilitation – at heart. You're all brimming with potential – rough diamonds, every one of you – but, ah…I'd have to give you an F for effort. So I asked the fruit for the power to, ah…persuade you all to, ah…apply yourselves a little more to your studies. But it seems my desire to, ah…reform you was a little fiery, and became – once the fruit took hold – positively, ah…monstrous…"

He gave a sigh. "I can't tell you how sorry I am, children. I can see now how, ah…wrong I was."

With that, he turned his attention to me and my companions. Sydney had returned while the former headmaster had spoken.

"But you five, going to such lengths to, ah…aid your fellow scholars… Quite extraordinary! And what are your, ah…names?"

We each said our names.

"Well, ah…you are credits to Swinedimples, each of you," said Sternivus. "I can rest in peace knowing that my academy is capable of turning out such, ah…fine specimens as yourselves."

And as those words left his mouth, he went on.

There was a long moment of silence when Sternivus left. "Bah!" exclaimed Fred, making me jump. "Well 'e could 'ave figured that out without puttin' us froo all this rubbish, couldn't he? Stupid old ghost." He folded his arms, setting his face into its usual scowl.

But the girl did not seem so disgruntled. "'Rough diamonds'?" she asked. "I like that. D'you hear that? He said we were rough diamonds!"

"So if we went to lessons a bit more often," said the other boy, "we'd be smooth diamonds? Hmm… Maybe I should start goin' more often…"

At that moment, they all seemed to realise something. "Hey!" exclaimed the boy. "I can move again! Thank goodness for that! Now I can finally go to the loo!"

"Thanks!" said the girl. "You saved our bacon!"

"Cheers, all," Fred said. "I owe ya one."

And all three of them left. I could hear them yelping 'ows' as they made their way across the acid.

"Well, it looks like Sir Sternivus's message got through to a couple of them at least," Stella said. "I reckon that's this case all parcelled up." With that, she looked to me. "And that's our seventh fygg too. That's loads! Let's make train tracks back to the Observatory and drop them all off. You remember how to get back, don't you?"

I gave a slight nod. Then, slowly, I turned to the others. The sight of Connor gave me a feeling akin to being stabbed, but in my heart. This was the last battle we would share…

"Let us go," I said, and I knew my voice sounded pained. Connor put an arm around me as we headed back to the surface, and it felt as though he were holding me together.

But what, I wondered, _will happen to me when Connor is no longer here to hold me in one piece?_

It was fortunate that it was a Saturday. We slept until late the next morning. When we finally all awoke, we had a quick breakfast and then Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I headed for the headmaster's office.

"Oh, wonderful!" said the head when we explained what had occurred. "Just, ah…wonderful! You brought them all back safe and sound. What an incredible, ah…relief! So the, ah…ghost of Sir Sternivus Swinedimple was behind it all?"

When I nodded, the headmaster looked to his desk. "I'm so sorry. It was all, ah…my fault really."

He turned to the side. "The drop in standards under my headship caused him to quite literally, ah…turn in his grave. I suppose I am a little too, ah…soft." He sighed, then straightened his shoulders. "Well, I shall, ah…endanger the name of Swinedimples no longer. I must guide my pupils with a firmer hand from now on."

And he looked to us. "And you, our, ah…distinguished detectives, as promised, you cracked the case before Swinedimples's reputation could be tarnished."

I could not restrain a laugh. "I am sorry," I said. "I suppose you ought to know…none of us are really detectives."

The headmaster looked shocked for a moment, then said, "Well, I hardly think that matters now that the affair is, ah…settled. Inspectors, we are forever in your, ah…debts. Please accept the remainder of your, ah…remuneration."

He handed us a sack of gold, the rest of the 5,000 G he had promised to pay for our services.

"And, ah…I think you'll agree that I was not entirely mistaken," he said, smiling. "You truly are great detectives!"

I smiled, but I could feel tears coming to my eyes. It was all far too much. I could not deal with this!

We excused ourselves and left the office. Connor's arm was around me once more, and I leaned into him as we walked. I needed to be as close to him as I possibly could in the time I had left with him.

As we neared the gate, however, I saw something that distracted me. A thin man with blond hair was sandwiched in by two large men, who I recognised as the instructors for hammer- and axe-wielding.

The thin man was saying, "What on earth do you think you're doing? I told you, I am a professional investigator, and I was summoned by the headmaster!"

We all looked at one another. I could see my shock and amusement reflected in each of my companions' faces as the hammer teacher replied, "Don't give me that nonsense! The detective's already here, and the case is all wrapped up."

"Now clear off!" said the axe teacher. "Didn't you see the sign? No trespassing!"

As the two teachers forcefully escorted him away, the detective protested, "Wh-What's the meaning of this! Get your hands off me! Let me go!"

My companions and I looked to one another and burst out laughing.

And we set out on the final leg of our journey together.

* * *

><p>Hi again, everyone!<p>

I'm sorry I made such a short chapter - I think this may be the shortest I've made in this entire story! But I've reached a point where so many things are happening, and there are just so many places that need to have a good solid stop. If the next few chapters are short, well, again, I'm sorry.

So until I get a chance to update again...may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	19. Chapter 19

I felt it as soon as we left the region of Snowberia and the Snowberian Coast. The temperature rose about twenty degrees. I unbuttoned my blazer and took it off. The light, white collared shirt beneath was much better for the warmer temperatures of the Hermany area.

During the time Connor had spent recovering from his wound and his shock, Sydney had retrieved the _Pride of Bloomingdale _from where it had been anchored by the marshlands. It now sat in a deeper area of water off Hermany.

As we boarded the _Pride_, Connor and I held as tight as was practical to one another. I dreaded the moment when I would be forced to let go. Casting Zoom, as Stella had wished to do, would have been faster, but I did not wish to be faster. This was already moving far too fast for my liking.

Opal, Connor, Stella, and I helped Sydney adjust the sails in silence. Stella tried once to say something, but the look I gave her shut her up. It was not the glare I usually used. It was simply my expression, which I was certain reflected exactly my mood: Perfectly miserable. And so none of us spoke as we set off for Newid Isle.

For several minutes, Connor and I sat silently in the prow of the ship, staring out over the ocean. The ship was completely silent – even Stella was not speaking.

I looked at Connor. From my perspective, he was in profile, looking out. His expression was serious. Looking at him, I felt an overwhelming wave of emotion. Sadness, love, and desire mixed together into something I could not quite describe.

"Connor," I murmured, and he turned to look at me. "What is it?"

I bit down on my lip. I was not quite sure what it was. My stomach leapt into my throat as our eyes caught. Neither of us looked away. My heart began to beat faster, and my breath sped up.

Connor and I both stood. Whatever it was I felt, it seemed Connor felt it too. I could see his chest rising and falling in pace with my own.

"I love you," I whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know," Connor replied. "I love you too, Zera. And I always will."

I smiled. "I feel the same." Then I moved myself up to kiss him directly upon his lips.

He responded immediately, and I could feel something in his kiss. It had much more edge than the gentle kiss of the Swinedimples dance. I could feel my own desire reflected in him.

"Zera," Connor murmured. I opened my eyes to see that he had not moved back very much. "What are we doing?"

"Kissing," I replied, feeling a smile touch my lips. "You are very good at it, I think." I moved to press my lips back to his, but he moved back slightly. I settled back down, confused. "Is something wrong, Connor?"

He did not answer for a long moment. Gently, he tucked one of the locks that hung out of my ponytail behind my ear. Then he cupped my face in his hands, tilted my head to the side, and kissed me.

I felt my hands moving up to tangle themselves in his hair. One of Connor's hands stayed on my cheek, but the other moved to the small of my back, pulling me tighter against him.

Then he pushed my face back slightly. I looked up at him, and was caught by his eyes. There was more than just an edge of desire in them. I felt a tingling in my fingers.

He released my waist and slid his other hand down to take mine. "Come with me," he said, and I felt a strange thrill. I had to all but run to keep up with him as he headed to one of the hatches – the one that led down into the small bedroom.

Neither of us bothered to so much as lock the hatch or the door. We moved to the bed and sat down on the edge. Connor's hand moved to my thigh.

"Kiss me fiercely," I murmured. "Too fiercely. I need assistance in believing that this is really happening."

Connor smiled. "Believe," he whispered, and kissed me fiercely.

"I never dreamt that we would actually do this," he murmured through the kiss. "I thought you said it would cause too much pain."

"That does not matter any more," I told him. "I have crossed some sort of border. I merely wish to love you as much as I possibly can while you are still mine."

"Then we'd better get going," Connor murmured, and I shivered as his lips grazed my ear. This was a part of Connor I had never seen before. And I rather liked it. He was bringing something inside of me to life – I had never felt so awake, so alive, as I did right then.

"There's no future for us," he murmured.

"I know," I replied. "But right now, I do not care. Let us make every moment last. Leave me with something that I will always remember."

Our fingers were undoing the buttons to one another's shirts.

"That's a pretty tall order," Connor said.

I smiled. "In that case, it is good that you are rather tall."

Connor laughed.

I was incredibly excited. Regardless of what others may have said, this felt perfectly right. I had liked Connor from the first time we had spoken, loved him from when I had told him my tale, and wanted him since even before the day on the beach in Porth Llaffan. It felt as though I had known him my whole life, not a measly month.

And now was the time for us to consummate our love.

/\*/\

Opal was perched in the rigging high above the _Pride's _decks, staring out over the ocean. But she wasn't focusing on the waves.

She just couldn't believe that their adventure was over. _It couldn't possibly have been just a month,_ she thought. _It shouldn't be over this fast. I'm really gonna miss Zera…_

_Thinking of which, where _is _Zera? _she thought then. She and Connor had been sitting in the prow, hadn't they? Opal looked down, but no one was on the deck but Sydney and Stella the faerie. _Weird._

Sighing, she looked back out over the sea. Zera and Connor were probably just spending some time alone together. After all, they were clearly in love, even though neither of them had told her. They probably just wanted some private time.

And the ship continued through the waves.

/\*/\

It was soon – much too soon – when Connor and I were interrupted by a knock at the hatch. "We're coming up on Newid Isle," called Opal. "You'd better come out." I heard footsteps crossing the deck above us as Opal walked away.

Connor sighed. "That was…amazing, Zera."

I smiled and kissed him. "You were wonderful."

I had never felt happier in my life. I could not understand how something like this could be considered a sin, not when it felt so..._right_. Of course, it was different for Connor and me. We had not simply had blind, meaningless sex. This had been love - actual love - in a physical form.

We got off the bed and helped each other put our clothes back on – the clothing we had worn before Swinedimples. Had I not just seen him completely bare, I would have said that Connor in his martial artist's garb was the most wonderful sight there was. We kissed once more, and then ascended to the main deck.

Opal was perched low in the rigging on the port side. Stella hovered by starboard hatch, and Sydney was behind the wheel, focusing upon steering us in. Newid Isle was only a few hundred feet away. The blue tree where the Starflight rested was very near to our landing site.

We helped Sydney to drop anchor. The entire time, I was incredibly aware of Connor's presence beside me. We had been forced to stop far too soon. I could have gone on with him for a full night, perhaps longer. Being with him had merely fanned my desire – and my love. I could already feel something tearing inside of me as we walked to the Starflight. But I was glad beyond glad that Connor and I had been together even just this once. Not knowing him would have been far worse.

As the five of us ascended to the Observatory, Stella chattered on. I was paying no attention. Connor had his arms around me, and I was leaning into his chest. This was the only way I could be with him in public.

"I don't know how many fyggs there are altogether," Stella was saying, poking at buttons, "but I reckon we've hunted and gathered enough to do a delivery run. If we get what we've got back to the Observatory, that'll probably take a bit of weight off your Celestrian friends' minds. Not to mention making you look pretty good into the b – Huh?"

The shock of hearing Stella stop speaking was enough to distract me, and all of us turned to see what she was staring at.

A blue glow shone from an odd shape behind us. As we looked at it, it resolved itself into a form I knew well...very well.

A long, muscular figure. Fierce thick brows. Large, white-feathered wings. A head so closely shaven as to be mistaken for being bald…

My master rose and said, "Well met, Zera. It has been some time."

My hands moved to my mouth and my eyes widened. "Aquila!" I cried. "Master!"

I heard a slight intake of breath from Connor. Aquila approached, and I very nearly ran to hug him. But then I remembered the Celestrian restraint I had lost over the past forty or so days, and stayed within the confines of Connor's arms.

"Who the flap's this?" asked Stella, whispering in my ear. "He looks like another Celestrian. Is he a friend of yours, Zera?"

I looked to her and said, "Stella, this is my master, Aquila." Then I returned my gaze to Aquila's face. I had been so worried about him. Seeing him again felt as though a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

"Get away!" exclaimed Stella. "He's your teacher? You and your surprises, honestly!" She looked to Aquila and smiled. "Hi! I'm Stella. I work here on the Starflight."

Aquila did not so much as glance at the faerie. "So it was you who travelled in search of the fyggs, Zera. I might have guessed…"

As he looked curiously over my companions, Stella turned away, clearly offended. "Oh!" she said. "Cold shoulder treatment is it? Well toucans play at that game! And so can fae – So can I!"

Aquila ignored her, which I thought was a wise strategy. For a moment longer, he looked over Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I. Had I forgotten just how piercing his gaze could be? I felt slightly self-conscious as Aquila's eyes lingered upon Connor's arms, still wrapped tightly about me.

"You must allow me to deliver the fyggs to the Observatory, Zera," Aquila said then.

It took me several long moments to process his words. "…I…_what_!" I spluttered when I finally gained the composure to speak. "Master, I –"

"Come now, heed your master," said Aquila, and I was surprised by the impatience in his tone. He had never been impatient with me in the nearly half-century he had trained me. "Will you permit me to take them?"

"I…Aquila, Master…no, I cannot," I said. "Apus Major charged_ us_ with the return of the fyggs."

Disapproval made Aquila's fierce features tighten. "Cease this foolishness, Zera, you know that a Celestrian may not defy a superior. Relinquish the fyggs. That is an order."

I stiffened, fighting the power of the ancient laws binding me. Connor tightened his arms as I shook, bending at the waist. My stomach twisted violently, my head pounded, and my limbs shook. My eyes squeezed shut, my fists clenched, and my breath came in gasps.

But in the end, I could not fight. I did not have a Celestrian's form, but I was still bound by their laws.

I hung limply for a moment, kept from falling only by Connor. Then I righted myself and turned to Sydney. "Give me the fyggs."

"Zera, are you –" Sydney asked, and my stomach gave a heave.

"Just give them to me!"

Sydney pulled all seven of the glowing fruits out of her bag and handed them to me. I turned back to Aquila, and I could feel the confusion upon my face. Connor let go of my waist as I stepped forward to hand my master the fyggs.

"Excellent," Aquila said, and I was not sure what I saw in his expression. "You have gathered all seven of the fyggs that fell to the realm beneath. …But I would expect no less of you, my pupil. You are wise to entrust them to my care. Now I –"

Whatever he intended to say next was cut off by a loud rushing noise. My vision vanished abruptly, and I cried out, feeling for Connor. A voice came through the dark.

"Oh, frightfully well done, Aquila old boy," it said. "Now, you'll be a good fellow and drop by the palace with them as promised, won't you?"

_Palace?_ I thought, but my vision returned and I was distracted. Aquila had fallen to a kneeling position. "…Of course, Your Majesty," he said. I backed away several paces and gently pushed Connor and the others behind me. Whatever was happening here, it was not good. Not good at all.

Stella was clearly frightened. "What was that weird posh voice?" she asked. "What the flap's going on? And why did you give this weirdo the fyggs? We had to sweat blood, sweat, and tears to get those, you idiot!"

"I had no choice, Stella!" I snapped, glaring at the faerie. "Do you think I would have let go of them otherwise?"

I turned to Aquila, who was rising slowly from his kneel. "Master, what is happening!" My left hand was resting lightly on my fan, ready to draw. Too much was happening too quickly. I could not understand much, but one fact was working its way into my mind: _Aquila is a traitor!_

"…You intend to try and stop me," Aquila said, finally straight. I nodded tensely. "Yours are not the acts of a loyal Celestrian."

Aquila and I drew our weapons simultaneously.

"This is no time for sentimentality," Aquila said. "If you stand in my way, I have no choice but to cut you down!"

I felt a rush of fear. This was not the Aquila who had trained me!

As if to underscore the point, he lunged at me. I scarcely dodged in time to avoid being skewered on the edge of the sword where he had taught me to sharpen my weapon's edges, the sword he had duelled me with so many times. Now it was being used to kill me.

Anger surged through my veins, and I attempted to lunge at Aquila, the traitor, and sink my fan into his neck. But I could not move more than a pace. When I struggled, I felt the ill effects of resisting the laws, and Aquila said, "Your efforts are futile. A Celestrian may not take arms against a superior."

My mouth tightened, and I tried once more to attack. This time, I made it two paces, but then nearly fell on my face. "Zera –" Connor said, but I snapped, "Do not help!"

I managed to right myself and glared at my master. Something had broken within me. Aquila had trained me, cared for me, been nearly a friend to me. He had been the closest thing I had to a father. Now he had betrayed me. Hatred ran icy cold through my whole body.

Aquila moved forward in a zigzag pattern, one of the first he had taught me for attacking. Now he was using it against me. Each new blow seemed stronger than the last.

Then there was a true blow. The flat of Aquila's sword came down hard upon the top of my head, and my vision went black.

The last thought I had was _I will kill you…_

/\*/\

Connor had stood by as the master Zera had told him so much about forced her to give him the fyggs. He had listened to her when she had told him not to help, even though he wanted to give Aquila the hardest thumping he could and see if _that_ would hurt a Celestrian.

But if it wasn't hard, he didn't know what was.

He had seen the pain on Zera's face when she had tried to resist giving her master the fyggs. He could tell that she was angry – beyond angry – and confused. And when the teacher who had clearly been a father figure to his love attacked her, he felt angrier than he ever had before.

He caught Zera when she collapsed from the blow Aquila had dealt to her head and lowered to a kneeling position so as to hold onto her best. The feel of her in his arms distracted him, making him think about that wonderful half-hour or so on board the _Pride_. But he gritted his teeth and pushed the memory away. This was _not _the time!

"Zera…" said Aquila, looking at her. Connor fixed the Celestrian with a glare as Stella flailed around.

"Zera!" she screeched, her voice going to an almost unnatural pitch. "What have you done? She's d – She's d – She's dead to the world!"

Aquila sheathed his sword wordlessly. He blasted open the Starflight's door and looked back to the companions. "Farewell," he said.

Connor's response began with an _F_, too, but it wasn't nearly as polite.

Aquila leapt out of the carriage. "Zera!" exclaimed Stella. "He's making off with all the fyggs! Come on, snap yourself out of it! Open your eyes and shine! Otherwise I'll –"

_Otherwise you'll what? _Connor thought, looking down at Zera's still face. His stomach twisted as he searched for the rise and fall of her chest, and he sighed in relief when he saw it. Zera wasn't dead. She was just unconscious.

"Wh-What the flippety-flap is that!" cried Stella, and Connor's head snapped up. He, Opal, and Sydney moved over to the door, and then almost fell over in shock. An enormous black dragon flew alongside the Starflight, with some strange bird-man-thing standing on its back.

"The operation was a hooge success, I trust, Aquila?" called the bird-man. Aquila flew up alongside the dragon. "Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore!" he said, sounding surprised. "You were sent to watch over me, I take it."

"Hoo hoo hoo!" laughed the bird-man – Hootingham-Gore. "Not at all, my dear chap. I'm no sticky beak! I was just passing by, and hoo should I see but your fine self?"

Aquila nodded, but then Hootingham-Gore continued: "But now that you mention it, we're still not sure if you are someone hoo can be trusted."

"You need not worry," Aquila said. "I have the fyggs." As he held them out, Connor felt his anger rising. They'd worked so hard to get those fyggs! And now the traitor was holding them out like they weren't worth any more than rotten apples.

"Hoo hoo!" said Hootingham-Gore. "Splendid! Now, I have another little duty I'd like you to help out with. I'm heading for Upover. It's time that menace, to wit the Hero of the Heavens, was wiped out once and for all. Barbarus here, hoo is so kindly lending his services to the Gittish Empire, is all fired up about hoomiliating him! Why don't we have a little demonstration of just how fired up! Hoo hoo hoo hoooo!"

Aquila moved away as the black dragon, Barbarus, fell back. There was a strange rumbling sound that gave Connor an uneasy feeling.

"Who the flap was that!" asked Stella to the world in general. "And where's this Upover place? And who's the Hero of the Heavens?"

Anything else she might have said was drowned out in a huge blast. The Starflight rattled and shook like it had been caught in an earthquake – like the one that had shook their world the day Zera had said she had fallen. Connor's grip on Zera was shaken free, and her limp form began sliding towards the door. "Zera!" he yelled.

"Uh-oh," Stella said, not seeming to notice Zera's sliding. "That felt a little too much like a dragon attack to me…"

Connor was already trying to grab onto Zera when Stella realised something was wrong. He felt a hand grab his shoulder as Stella caught hold of Zera's wrists. "Connor, no!" cried Sydney. "We've got to get out of here before this whole thing goes down!"

"But Zera –" Connor yelled over the sound of the wind and Stella's shouts ("Zera! Come on…don't…let…go…")

"Is a Celestrian!" Opal said. "She's tough. But none of us will make it if this train crashes from this height!"

Connor gritted his teeth. "Then we won't crash!" He struggled up to the control panel and grabbed hold of a promising-looking lever.

"Gah, it's no good…" said Stella. "Looks like keeping hold of your claws is…"

The Starflight jumped again as Connor figured out how to work the lever and pointed the train into a gentle dive.

"A lost flapping cause…!"

Connor's head whipped around just in time to see Zera and the faerie fall out the open door. "No!" he shouted, and wheeled the Starflight into a steep dive after them.

He could hear Opal and Sydney yelling at him to stop before they ran into the ground, but he ignored them. He had figured out how to work the train, and he wasn't going to let everybody crash. But this was the quickest way to wherever Zera was going to land.

They landed with a heavy jolt on a beach. Sydney was swallowing. "Connor, do me a favour," she said. "Don't ever fly this thing again!"

"No promises," Connor said. "Now come on. Zera's around here somewhere!"

He led the way out of the Starflight. Beyond the beach was a small band of trees, not thick enough to be called a forest. When they emerged from the other side – after having to fight off a grammarye gruffon – Connor caught sight of a small town. What looked like half the population was out gathered around something.

They entered the village, and Connor pushed his way through the crowd to find Zera lying limply on a dock. Stella was hovering over her. "Oi, Zera!" she was saying. "You haven't bought a farm have you? I would've thought it would take a bit more than that to finish off a Celestrian…"

Connor's heart dropped into his stomach, and he and the others made their way forward. A boy of about twelve with a light brown ponytail and bright blue eyes kneeled beside Zera's form. "Are, are you alright?" he asked.

"Wake UP!" yelled Stella, and whacked Zera on the shoulder. Zera twitched once, and Connor felt relieved. The boy who had asked if Zera was okay turned to the crowd of villagers. "This lady's in a terrible state!" he said. "…But she's still alive! We have to help her, quickly!"

There was no response from the villagers.

"…Why are you all just standing there?" asked the boy. "Aren't you going to…?"

Connor, Opal, and Sydney were the only ones who joined the boy by Zera. He looked at them with thanks shining in his eyes.

"Well, we aren't going to just look on without at least trying to help!" he said. He and Connor both shook Zera. "Stay with us now! We'll soon have you better!"

Connor and Sydney picked up Zera, and they followed the boy to a house on the eastern side of the village. Connor didn't know what the villagers' problem was with Zera, but it didn't matter. This one was willing to help, and they had Sydney. Zera would be fine, physically.

But emotionally, he wasn't so sure.

/\*/\

The first voice to come through the blackness that had shielded me was not the one I wished to hear. "Oh, come on, sleepybones!" Stella said, sounding exasperated. "You've been snoring away for ages now. Rise and shake a leg! Wakey wakey! Time to shine!"

I moaned and opened my eyes. Already I missed the darkness of unconsciousness. Every part of me ached, my ribs most of all. But what was worst of all were the memories rushing back to me. Aquila's reappearance…and his subsequent betrayal. That hurt even worse than my ribs.

"At last!" Stella exclaimed. "You're awake! Thank flap for that! Ooh, you had me worried, you did. Anyway, this is no time for me to be singing songs of praise. Your so-called teacher hopped onto that black dragon and flapped off with all the flapping fyggs! You have to go after him! Come on now! Up, up, up!"

_Black dragon?_ I wondered, sitting up. A boy of about Opal's age with a light brown ponytail stood at the window beside my bed, and turned to look at me when I sat up.

"Great!" he said. "You're awake!" I rose slowly from the bed and looked at the boy.

"Your injuries were so awful, I was worried you might not make it, whatever Sydney said," the boy continued, and I felt a surprise at hearing Sydney's name here. Wherever 'here' may have been…

"But you're looking remarkably well! I'm Wallace. Your friends already told me who you were, but it's nice to actually meet you, Zera."

My head was reeling. I could not process everything that was happening. I was still attempting to understand what had happened aboard the Starflight!

"I don't suppose you remember what happened, do you?" asked Wallace. "It was just after that black dragon flew over the village…"

This was the second time a black dragon had been mentioned. Someone needed to explain to me exactly what had occurred after Aquila attacked me.

"You washed up on the shore in a terrible state. I was the one who found you – well, your friends helped."

The door to the cottage opened, and a man's voice said, "Hmph. Awake, is she?" The owner of the voice, a balding man with a bit of paunch to his front, entered.

"Isn't it wonderful, Unc – I mean, Mayor?" asked Wallace, smiling. "It looks like Zera's going to be completely fine."

It did not look to me as though the mayor thought it was at all wonderful. "Right," he said, "well, if you're fit again, you can come to the meeting this evenin' at church and explain yourself."

"What?" asked Wallace, the smile vanishing. "You're going to make her come to the meeting?"

"Her and her friends," amended the mayor. He gave Wallace a hard glance. "Even that little dark-skinned one you seem to like so much."

"But Zera's barely been conscious five minutes!" protested Wallace, going pink in the cheeks. I nearly smiled. Opal and Wallace…they would make a cute little pair.

"Listen, Wally!" said the mayor, and I saw Wallace make a face. "You're one of us now. A citizen of Wormwood Creek. So you'd better learn to toe the line, alright?"

Wallace did not respond. The mayor looked to me. "You got that? Come to the church tonight. I'll let you stick around the village until then." And he walked away.

"I'm awfully sorry, Zera," Wallace murmured. "It looks as if you don't have any choice in the matter."

"It is not your fault," I said. "Where are my friends?"

"In the armour shop, probably," Wallace said. "Opal's already been in there an hour."

I exhaled with what sounded a bit like a laugh. "No doubt she will still be there," I said. Wallace led the way to the armour shop. Sure enough, Opal and the others were there. My heart leapt when I saw Connor leaning up against the counter.

"Connor!" I cried, forgetting my aches as I rushed for him. I flung my arms around him, and when he hugged me in return, something fell into place. We kissed, and then Sydney's voice interrupted us.

"I'm glad you're awake, Zera," she said, a touch of humour in her tone, "but it'd be best if you took it easy for a few days. Which means no exuberant kissing!"

I felt my face go warm and I turned, smiling. "It is good to see you, Sydney."

"But I don't think you'll have a few days," Wallace said. Opal came out from behind a rack, wearing a pink undershirt-looking tank top and what I recognised as sorcerers' slacks. "What do you mean, Wallace?"

Wallace explained what his uncle had said in the cottage. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he spoke. When he finished, Opal made a face. "Mayor Doffish is an old grump," she muttered. "Don't let him get you down, Wallace."

Now I took the time to see if the others had gained new clothing, or if it had been only Opal. Sydney wore a long priestess's pinafore and a hermetic hat. Connor had exchanged his Tusslers' clothing for a wraparound red shirt with black sleeves and yellow along the inside border. His black belt kept it closed at the waist. The pants were black but for a fire pattern at the bottom, and they were cropped about halfway down his calves. His kung fu shoes were gone. I smiled. I thought it looked even more like a martial artist's garb than the Tusslers' clothing.

"Do you want to look around?" asked Opal. I shrugged. There was not much that caught my interest. "Is there a weapons shop?"

"We were just about to head over there," Connor said. "How about we go now?"

"That sounds like a good plan," I said. We walked past the armour counter into the part of the building stocked with weapons. Opal's interest was immediately caught by a rack of strange-looking knives. Sydney moved over to the staffs. Connor and I walked together through the racks, looking around. There did not seem to be any fans in stock.

I was not focusing much on the weapons. My mind was full of Aquila's betrayal. I flashed back to my last thought before I blacked out: _I will kill you._

I thought of the training I had received under the traitor's tutelage – training as a Celestrian warrior. And then something caught my eye.

A rack of swords stood near me. Some of them were rather strange-looking things, with oddly shaped and coloured blades. But the other kind was a simple silver sword. It was long, graceful, and utterly deadly-looking.

I moved towards the rack and picked up one of the silver blades. My hand moved naturally into place onto the hilt. I straightened, looking at a bundle of rods meant for testing the feel and edge of a sword. My sword arm tingled with a sudden rush of power, and I ran forward and slashed at the rods. I sliced through all of them with a loud "YAHHH!"

The bundle clattered onto the floor, and then the whole shop went silent. I looked down at my hand with the sword, and made a choice. My shoulders and spine straightened.

Turning to the others, I said, "I am going to Alltrades Abbey."

"What?" asked Opal.

"Why?" Connor asked.

I paid for my new sword and sold my fan. Sheathing the sword, I turned to my companions.

"I am going to become a warrior."

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! I'm (finally) checking in again with another chapter.<p>

Busy day for Zera, huh? This chapter made pretty quick reading for me, even though it was about ten pages on Microsoft Word. I guess it was just the pace. Zera was right - so much happened in such a short time!

Anyway, I really hope you liked the chapter, and I'll try to get the next one up quickly. Until that time...well, you know what comes next, right? ^_^ May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	20. Chapter 20

_"I am going to become a warrior."_

* * *

><p>It was about ten minutes later that I stood before Abbot Jack. Casting Zoom to get to the Abbey had been simple enough; climbing the enormous flight of stairs had been nearly impossible. According to Sydney, I had bruised my ribs when I hit the ground. Added to the myriad bruises, cuts, and scrapes that now adorned most of my skin, I was simply amazed I was able to walk. And Sydney had said that I had suffered relatively minor injuries in my fall…<p>

She had spoken only of the physical wounds, of course. I could feel that something had changed within me after Aquila's betrayal. Anger and hatred seethed together under my skin, keeping me distracted even from Connor's presence at my side. I could focus on little else.

Opal had gone to the lower level of the Abbey to take care of something, but Connor and Sydney were beside me as Abbot Jack said, "Here you stand in the holy precincts of Alltrades Abbey, where lost lambs come to change their vocations. Do you or one of your number wish to change vocation, child?"

I nodded once. "I wish to become a warrior."

Abbot Jack nodded. "Then let it be so! Zera, fill your heart with visions of becoming a warrior and join me in prayer!"

As the Abbot bowed his head, praying aloud, I said my own prayer in my head.

_Almighty…_ I prayed. _My master is a traitor. The path of a warrior is that which I was meant always to tread, and now more than ever I must have the heart and vocation of a warrior in order to stop him. My new path and my first have entwined themselves into my future. Allow me to tread this path with Your blessings!_

Though my eyes were closed, I noticed when something began to glow. I opened my eyes to find that I seemed to be enveloped in a beam of bright golden light. Slowly, I began to rise from the floor, ascending through the beam. My breathing quickened, my muscles tensed, and my arms spread out.

_"…Go well in your path, my child…"_ came a mysterious voice. It seemed familiar, like that of a half-forgotten friend. _"…May your vision clear so you may see your destiny…!"_

A feeling of warmth spread through my body, both inside and out. An increase in the glow made me look down to find that the golden light was spreading across my legs and up to my torso. It continued up, racing to cover my arms and neck, and finally my face. I flung my head back, joy racing through me. My eyes closed, and there rushed behind my lids a flurry of images.

A girl in a cloak and a light-haired Celestrian without his halo. A grey and a black dragon doing battle above a tall mountain. A dark palace, a terrible fortress full of suffering. A beautiful temple in the skies, a woman who became a tree, a powerful being at whom I could scarcely bear to look. Aquila with the fyggs in his arms, facing a robed beast with a crown. A strange mutation of the blond Celestrian, becoming worse. A glowing fygg, a warped temple, the ghost of the girl in the cloak…and Connor. Over and over again, Connor in his new martial artists' clothing, Connor holding me in his arms, running to me, helping me up, kissing me, holding my hand.

One final image came, that of a myriad of stars swirling to the sky. And then the glow disappeared, and I fell to the floor with a _thump_.

"Zera!" cried Connor and Sydney. I opened my eyes to see them bending over me. They helped me to sit up as Sydney asked, "Are you alright?"

"…I think so," I said. I took a deep breath, revelling in the residual sense of joy. Then my eyes widened as I realised that I could take that deep breath without pain. But that was impossible. My ribs had been bruised in my fall from the Starflight. Every breath I had tried to take deeply had been incredibly painful. But it did not hurt now.

I took another deep breath, simply to prove to myself that I was not imagining it. This breath did not hurt, either. Then Connor gasped.

"Zera!" he said, gesturing to me. "Look!"

I looked down to find that it was not merely my ribs that had healed. Not a single one of the injuries I had sustained in my fall remained. And it was not only those. Every scar upon my body had disappeared. The mark upon my upper left thigh from where I had accidentally caught myself with the edge of my sword, half a century before: Gone. The scar on my right shoulder from when I had crashed-landed in a tree, thirty years ago: Vanished. The white skin from where my blade had slipped as I sharpened it now blended in with the rest of the flesh on my midsection. I was as unmarked as a new-born child.

"Impossible," I murmured.

"And your clothes," Sydney said. "You look every bit the warrior girl!"

It was true. Somehow, during my time in the light beam, my dancer's costume and starlet sandals had disappeared with my scars, and in their place was the full Femiscyran kit: Mail, fingerwear, bottoms, and footwear. When I felt my head, I discovered that my feather headband was gone.

"I suppose someone really wanted you to be a warrior, eh?" asked Connor, and I smiled. "It does seem that way, doesn't it?"

Connor helped me to stand, though I did not really need the assistance. I felt better than I had in a long while. All remaining vestiges of the cold I had caught in Batsureg were gone.

We looked to the Abbot, who was smiling. "Go, my child," he said. "Your path has truly been blessed by the Almighty! Embrace the new life that awaits you!"

I smiled. "I shall," I replied, bowing. We turned and walked off, intending to go downstairs after Opal.

I felt strangely at peace. The voice that had spoken to me from within the light had been comforting, like what I imagined the voice of a mother would be like. A half-forgotten mother…

But there was something else, as well. I had only consciously known Aquila was a traitor for perhaps half an hour or forty-five minutes, but that time was enough to have given me a burning hatred. Somehow, that had cooled. I was still angry with him. He was still a traitor. Yet somehow the all-consuming hatred and rage that I had felt for that brief time was quenched into something cooler, underlying my thoughts rather than occupying them.

But I still wished to kill him.

We found Opal exiting the inn on the lower level of the Abbey. A Fizzle-retardant blouse had replaced her pink undershirt. "Where'd you get that?" asked Sydney.

"I helped out a couple of faeries," Opal replied offhandedly. "Where did you get the new wardrobe, Zera?"

"I am not certain," I said. "When my vocation changed, these replaced my old clothes."

"Cool!" said Opal. "I've never heard of that happening before."

We got lunch from the pub in the Abbey, and then headed back to Wormwood Creek via the _Pride_. It was only twenty minutes' journey, and so all of us spent it on the decks. Opal clambered like a monkey through the rigging as we sailed. Connor and I followed her as best we could, while Sydney steered and Stella shook her head at us as though we were insane. But it was enjoyable.

When we reached land, Opal headed straight back for Wormwood Creek. I smiled. It seemed that she liked Wallace as much as he seemed to like her. Sydney stayed on board to, as she said, "Mess with the sails and the rigging a bit." I headed into the thin strip of woods separating the beach from the rest of the landmass. Connor went with me.

I drew my sword as we moved into the forest. "What are you doing?" asked Connor.

"Training," I replied. "I wish to be ready if the day comes when I can fight Aquila as an equal." I had done a bit of exercising – namely push-ups, sit-up, and squats – nearly every day since I had come to the Protectorate, but now I needed to begin truly pushing myself, as I had while training as a Celestrian. And I would start with a spot of fighting to warm up.

A whirly girly spun around a few metres in front of us. I put a finger to my lips, looking at Connor. He became mockingly still, and I grinned. Slowly, we moved forward after the monster.

Then, when we were only a short distance away, the whirly girly turned and spotted us. It raced for us, and we braced ourselves to fight. Connor cast Wind Sickles, and in retaliation, the monster slapped him. Then I raced at it and sliced it with a solid uppercut. The pinkish whirlwind beneath the monster vanished, and the whirly girly dissolved into dust.

"Nice," said Connor, grinning. I grinned, too. "Thank you." Even just this short battle had sent a rush of adrenaline through me. We kissed briefly, then set out in search of another monster to fight.

When I decided I was warmed up enough, Connor and I began on exercises. I began with twenty push-ups, which were surprisingly easy. I felt energised from what I could only assume to be the golden light where I had heard the strangely familiar voice. The twenty triceps push-ups were not quite as easy, but they were not as difficult as I remembered.

As we exercised (Connor had decided to join me, as opposed to standing there like a bump on a log), Connor explained what had occurred after Aquila's blow to my head. He told me of the bird-man who had ridden the black dragon everyone had mentioned, about the dragon attack, and about how he had driven the Starflight down after Stella and me when we had fallen out.

It was without a doubt the most enjoyable exercise session I had ever had. When we did sit-ups, we held each other's feet. Each time one of us would come up, Connor would give me a peck on the lips. Without fail, I would smile and almost lose track of how many sit-ups had been done.

After we finished the exercises, Connor and I walked over to a fast-flowing stream about half a kilometre away. I cupped my hands and dipped them in to get a drink. The water was very cold, and I drank too fast. A spot in my head began to ache.

"Ow!" I exclaimed.

"Brainfreeze," Connor said, grinning. "Press your thumb against the roof of your mouth – it'll be gone in no time." I followed his instructions as he got his own water. Sure enough, the cold headache vanished within seconds. I wiped my thumb off on the grass and said, "Thank you."

"No problem," he replied, leaning up against a rock and looking up at the sky. I looked up, as well. It was only about two o'clock in the afternoon, long before dark. I dipped my finger into the rushing water and smiled as a little fish came swimming by. Then I nearly jumped out of my skin as a splash of icy water hit me from the left.

"Augh!" I exclaimed, and turned to see Connor grinning. I laughed. "You are evil!" Then I splashed him back.

A full-on splash war ensued, during which we laughed and shrieked like little kids. I had never before been able to be so free with another being, and I was immensely grateful that I had fallen from the Observatory all those weeks ago. _This _was where I belonged, in the Protectorate with Connor. No matter what the situation, things would be right so long as I was with him.

When we were both exhausted and sopping wet, we retired to sit against a tree at the very edge of the wood. I leaned up against him more than the bark. Our fingers entwined in the small valley made by my right leg and his left.

We sat there in silence for a long moment, enjoying the quiet sense of comradeship. It was chilly in the shade, but I would much rather have been there with Connor than somewhere warm and dry on my own.

"Tell me something," I requested after a moment. Connor looked down at me. "Like what?"

I shrugged. "Something you have never told anyone before."

Connor seemed to think about that for a moment. Then he smiled and kissed my brow. "I'm in love with a legend."

I laughed. "You have told me that," I said. "It does not count."

"Yes it does," Connor replied. "If you're a legend, then it can't count that I've told you, can it?"

I opened my mouth to reply, then closed it, smiling. "Alright then," I said, and nestled my head against his shoulder. "That is good enough for me."

After another long silence, Connor said, "Now it's your turn. Tell me something you've never told anyone."

There was a long pause while I thought. There were a number of things I had not told anyone, at least during my time in the Observatory. But Connor and I had talked about nearly everything during the long walks between towns and villages. In the end, I could think of only one thing.

"Do you remember when I told you that I was alone in the Observatory?"

Connor nodded, waiting.

I looked down, and then up into Connor's face. "I did not want to be."

Connor did not reply for a moment. He looked down at our hands. Then, slowly, he looked back to me. "Well, you don't have to be alone any more," he murmured, taking my face in his one free hand. And we kissed.

/\*/\

The sun was setting over the mountains to the west when Connor and I began back to Wormwood Creek. The entire population of the village, plus Opal and Sydney, were already assembled in the church. Mayor Doffish stood before the alter, facing us as we walked in the door. "There you are…" he said, a scowl upon his face. Connor and I walked up to join Opal and Sydney in front of him.

"Right," Mayor Doffish continued. "I'm only interested in hearin' about one thing from you – the black dragon. Not long before you –" he pointed at me "– washed up on our shores, we saw it flyin' over the village. You're not tryin' to tell us you had nothin' to do with it, are you?"

"Actually, that is exactly what we are trying to tell you," I replied. "We were attacked by the dragon, which is why I washed up here."

A farmer to my left snorted and said, "Don't come the raw prawn with us, missie! There's no way you'd have survived if you'd been attacked by a dragon!"

"Yeah," said a woman next to the farmer, "don't listen to a word of it! It's all stinkin', foreign lies!"

Mayor Doffish spoke up then. "We're gonna have to assume that you and the dragon are workin' together."

"Please!" called Wallace, and I turned to see that he was standing back next to the church doors. "Be fair! Give them the benefit of the doubt!" He came around the pews to our right and faced the villagers. "Why won't any of you believe what she says? Why are you so suspicious of them?"

"Because they're not ours," replied Mayor Doffish, scowling at Wallace. "They're foreigners!"

"'Foreigner, foreigner, foreigner'!" cried Wallace, clearly exasperated. "That's all I ever hear from any of you! It's, it's just so unfair!"

With that, he ran out of the church. Opal pushed through the villagers after him, calling, "Wallace! Wait!"

For a moment, everyone stared out the doors at the darkening village. Then Mayor Doffish sighed. "The dragon looked like it was headed for Upover," he said, and everyone turned back to him. "That's Greygnarl's neck of the woods. The Hero of the Heavens might stand a chance, but there ain't much us mere mortals can do. If we could count on his help, that'd be one thing, but we all know that's not likely."

He looked directly at Connor, Sydney, and me. "Anyway, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave Wormwood Creek now. Before somethin' nasty happens."

As we left the church, I caught snippets of conversations beginning among the villagers. They made little sense to me: Something about a canyon here, the black dragon there, and an evil empire, which gave me an uneasy feeling.

"They are friendly," I muttered, kicking the sign that proclaimed the village to be Wormwood Creek. My foot left the post slightly bent, and I smiled grimly.

"Where do you suppose Wallace and Opal went?" asked Sydney. Connor shrugged. "Might as well follow this path," he said. With his foot, he nudged the dirt trail that led north. "It's as good a lead as any."

"Yeah," agreed Sydney. She pulled a lantern and her tinderbox out of her bag. "We'll need this, though." She lit the wick and held the lantern up. It lit up the area about three metres around us.

Travelling at night made me uneasy. I did not mind the dark; it was the monsters therein that bothered me. A pair of monster eyes would glint outside our circle of light, the shape of one would flit around the very edge. When a bat flew overhead, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Scared?" asked Connor, poking me mockingly in the shoulder. I looked at him. "Open your eyes and you will be, as well," I said, taking his hand firmly. "There are too many monsters out here for my liking."

It only grew worse as we walked. Every last vestige of sunlight faded from the sky while we travelled through the night, leaving Sydney's lantern as our only source of light. I was not comfortable – my menstruation had begun again while I had been unconscious, and I needed to change the pad. Unfortunately, this was not an appropriate time.

Nearly an hour after leaving Wormwood Creek, we came upon a cave that was tucked away behind a cluster of trees. There was a faint glow inside, which seemed to be coming from the plants that grew within. But as it was enough to see by, we split up to search for Wallace and Opal. Connor and I headed north, and Sydney south.

Connor and I did not search long. The cave was rather small, and at least half of it was taken up by water. The northern part was open, and it was clear that neither Wallace nor Opal was there.

"Guys!" called Sydney from her half. "I found them!"

We hurried over to find Sydney's sheepskin shoes disappearing into a small opening in the cave wall. I followed her through, and stood to find myself in a second, smaller cave. Opal and Wallace stood by a small pool. Sydney was brushing dirt and small rocks off her pinafore as Connor slid in behind me.

"Oh, hello," Wallace said. "You came looking for us, didn't you?"

I nodded.

"Listen, I'm terribly sorry for running out like that," Wallace said, sighing. "People in the village hate outsiders, you see. Years ago, a woman here brought an outsider back, and it ended really badly." He shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the floor.

"Wallace is an outsider, too," Opal said. "He comes from miles away, but his uncle – that old grump, the mayor – took him in when…" She glanced towards Wallace, and said. "Anyway."

"They told you all to leave Wormwood Creek, didn't they?" asked Wallace then. Opal looked at us.

"Yeah," Connor said. "Mayor Doffish kicked us out before 'somethin' nasty happens'."

Wallace sighed. "So, what do you intend to do now? If you pursue that black dragon, you'll probably end up getting flattened again, won't you?"

Opal nodded. _The one I would really like to pursue is Aquila_, I thought, but gave myself a mental shake. There would be a time and place for that. I could not fight him now, anyway – it was impossible for me to oppose him.

"Ooh, I know!" exclaimed Wallace suddenly. "Why don't you try to get Greygnarl to help you?"

When we all looked at him, he said, "I mean, you'd have to find your way to Upover, but I can help you out with that part. There's a secret but of Wormwood Creek folklore about it. I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but, well…" he glanced at Opal, who went a shade darker, "it goes like this…"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "'When he who seeks the way to Upover appears, open the gates of Wormwood with the light guarded by the sentry statue.'

"Apparently, the sentry statue's in a place called the Bowhole to the west of here," he continued. Then his face fell. "Oh…but the entrance to it is all sealed up, and I don't think anyone knows how to open it any more." He made a face. "Bother! Just when I thought I'd found a way I could help you, I come unstuck at the last hurdle. What a fool I am! I, I suppose I'll just have to go back to the village and see if I can't find some other way to assist you."

With that, he slipped out of the cave.

For a moment, we were quiet. Then Opal caught me looking at her and asked, "What?"

"Nothing," I replied, biting back a smile. "It is just…you two make a very cute couple!"

I saw her hand move, most likely jokingly, to her knife, and I decided to scramble out before she could gut and hamstring me. As I slithered out from the hole, my eyes passed over the edge of the large pool in the west side of the cave.

I gasped. A translucent figure in a hooded cloak stood facing out over the pool. Though I could not see her face, I knew who it must have been: The ghostly girl we had encountered by the Starflight, and then again in Dourbridge. What was she doing here, of all places?

"Haah…" she sighed. "Back here again… Why can't I find him?"

As Opal and the others scrambled out after me, I pointed to the ghost girl. Three pairs of eyes widened, and I walked over to her.

She turned as I approached her, and her eyes widened. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's you. Haven't we…?"

Then an expression of shock crossed her face. "Oh, you can see me! I've been invisible to everyone else," she explained.

I smiled. "Well, I am not exactly 'everyone else'," I said. "My name is Zera. These are Connor, Opal, and Sydney."

"My name is Serena," replied the ghost girl, almost smiling. I could not help but wonder why she seemed so sad, and I was about to ask her if she needed assistance when she said, "I wonder, could I ask you a favour? It's something I can't do myself now. I left something of mine back in Wormwood Creek. Something really important. Could you get it for me?"

"Certainly," I said. "Where is it?"

"Look around the foot of the Guardian statue," Serena told us. "That's where I hid it. Please help me. Bring it back to me here…"

She turned back away, misery coming over her face. My friends and I headed out as Sydney relit her lamp.

"Connor," I murmured as we walked. "Could we speak?"

"Sure," Connor replied. We dropped back to the very edge of the circle of lamplight, and Connor looked at me oddly. "What is it, Zera?"

"I have been thinking," I began. "What we did on board the _Pride_…it was wonderful."

"It was," Connor agreed. I bit my lip.

"But… Connor, I do not think we ought to do it again."

Connor's mouth opened as though he was going to say something, but nothing passed his lips. His brows knotted together, and finally he said, "…Huh?"

"There is too much risk involved," I explained. "I menstruate, Connor. And if I can menstruate, who knows what else my body is capable of?"

Connor's expression had frozen when I said the word 'menstruate'.

"…You…?" he asked. I nodded.

"When?"

"It started on the day of Catarrhina's funeral," I told him. "And it ended the day we fought Garth Goyle."

I could all but see the gears of his brain moving as he mouthed numbers. Then an expression of fright came over his face. "You mean you… You're not… Are you…?"

"No," I said, understanding what he was attempting to articulate. "At least, I do not think so. I began again while I was unconscious."

"Thanks be to the Almighty," breathed Connor, clearly relieved. "But… Almighty, Zera, why didn't you tell me before!"

"I did not think about it," I admitted. "I was too focused upon the moment. There was no room in my brain for anything but you." I smiled sheepishly, feeling a bit bashful about saying it aloud.

Connor smiled. "That's alright," he said. "I couldn't think of anything else, either."

Then, after a long pause, he said, "But… Zera, are you sure?" I knew he was not speaking of menstruation or pregnancy this time.

And I knew exactly how he felt.

I had argued with myself through the entire walk up to the cave by the spring, and while Connor and I had been in the small forest. But I had not anticipated that it would be so difficult to resist. Being with Connor had only made me want him more, and trying to resist with his dark eyes trained on me was nearly impossible.

There was a long pause before I was able to do anything. "It felt so right," I whispered. "But we must do this the proper way. I am beginning to realise that I am not going back to the Observatory any time soon. And I have a feeling that my future lies with you, not as a Celestrian. We will have all the time we need."

Connor smiled wryly. "Even if we both lived as long as Apus Major, it wouldn't be enough time," he whispered, and kissed me.

I did not bother to try to resist. The circle of light from the lantern moved away as we kissed, but I did not care. Nothing had ever felt so real, or so right, as Connor and I together. Surely, surely this could not be wrong…

"…We should catch up to the others…" I murmured through it. "Probably," replied Connor, but he did not break the kiss. This was not fair. He was destroying my resolve!

In the end, I had to pull back. "We can discuss this later," I said, and took Connor's hand. "For now, let us help Serena."

We hurried to catch up with Sydney, Opal, and Stella, and together we headed back to Wormwood Creek.

/\*/\

"So this overgrown lump of rock is the Guardian statue that ghostly girl was on about?" asked Stella disbelievingly. The crumbling, overgrown ruin of a statue was tucked away in a nook between the weapons shop and the water. I could barely tell that it was intended to be a Guardian statue. The name on the base was not even legible. It looked as though it had been left out here to rot.

"Let's have a look, then…" Stella continued. We crouched down to check the base while Stella fluttered around it. It was difficult to see – Sydney had extinguished her lantern when we got close to the village. As we were not supposed to be here anymore, we had to be stealthy in our search.

"I can't see anything…" Stella murmured, coming back around. We straightened up. "Squiddly-dot! Do you think she's been leading us up the Guardian path? Well, obviously, but…"

I sighed. "Perhaps it is gone," I said. "Who knows how long it has been since Serena hid our mysterious object? It may have been destroyed by the elements."

"Opal?" called Wallace's voice from behind us. Opal whipped about, and the rest of us turned, as well.

"What are you all up to?" Wallace asked, coming to a stop in front of us. "What's so interesting about the Guardian statue? …Ooh! Does it hide some sort of super secret or something!"

I could see why he and Opal got along so well, I reflected. The exuberance of their personalities matched!

"Sort of," Opal replied. "We're looking for something, and we think it's buried somewhere around the Guardian statue."

"Unfortunately," Sydney added, "it's hiding pretty well. We can't find it anywhere."

"Hmm…" Wallace said. "I'll tell you what I think. I've actually been thinking about this for a while now…" He looked at the statue's crumbling face, and then back at us. "Back where I come from, the Guardian statue has the top spot in town, you know. And everyone looks after it."

He moved to join our small group right by the statue. "But in this village, it's shoved away back here and left to rot. It's rather odd, don't you think?" He looked around at each of us. "If you ask me, I'd say it used to be somewhere else. You know, somewhere a little more central, where people could admire it."

Opal's eyes lit up. "Wallace, that's brilliant!" she exclaimed. Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around guiltily. Her voice was much quieter as she said, "Thank you so much! And I think I know exactly where we ought to check."

She was beaming, as was Wallace. But then his grin vanished. "Oh no!" he exclaimed, clapping a hand to his forehead. "I forgot! I'm supposed to be doing some shopping for Uncle – I mean Mayor Doffish! What was it he wanted me to get again…? Oh no… I'll have to go back and ask him. He'll go through the roof!"

He waved us a good-bye and ran off back towards the mayor's house. "Strange boy…" said Stella, watching him go.

"Maybe," Opal agreed. "But you couldn't find anyone sweeter. Now come on!" She was looking at us. "I think I know where this statue used to be."

We followed her as quickly as we could through the village. Most of the villagers would be in their homes this far after sundown, but none of us wished to take any chances. Who knew what these odd people might do?

Opal led us into the church. Waving at the priest and the nun, she hurried up the aisle and down a short corridor to our right. There was a stone at the end.

"'This stone stands in place of the abomination that brought disaster on our village'," I read. "'Trust outsiders at your peril. Fellowship starts and ends at home.'"

Connor snorted. "Figures. They're too xenophobic to trust their own Guardian!"

It gave me a bad feeling. If this was where the Guardian statue had stood, then the 'abomination' spoken of in the inscription could mean nothing but the Guardian of Wormwood Creek. Most towns revered their Guardian second only to the Almighty Himself. What had happened to make this town hate theirs so?

"There's a gap under there," said Sydney, pointing. I crouched down to look, and suddenly a blue light gleamed into existence under the gap. "Oh!"

"I'll get it," said Opal. "My arm's smallest. It'll fit best." I moved back, and the glow vanished. After a moment, Opal pulled something out of the gap and stood up. She held out a necklace. "What d'you reckon?"

My eyes widened. "That is a serene necklace!" I said, reaching out to touch it. As my hand neared it, it began to glow. "Fascinating… I have never seen one outside of books."

The others were looking between me and the glowing pendant. "Why's it glowing?" asked Opal.

"That is what a serene necklace does," I explained. "It glows when a Celestrian is near. How did Serena come into possession of such a thing?"

"We can ask her tomorrow," Connor said. "It's getting late. Maybe we should find a good place to bivouac for the night."

"Sounds good," agreed Sydney. She put the necklace in her bag – "So the glow won't give us away" – and we left the village. We settled down to sleep in a small clearing in the wood.

Connor and I were farther from the others. "It's later," he murmured as we lay down. I sighed.

"I am not giving ground on this subject, Connor," I said. "It is too risky. I want to, more than anything, but I also do not wish to risk becoming pregnant right now! It would complicate too much."

"If we're careful –" Connor protested, but I put a hand to his mouth. "No matter how careful we are," I said, "there is still a chance. Someday we will, I swear. Perhaps even someday soon. But not today. For now…just a goodnight kiss."

Connor smiled. "I suppose that'll do," he said. "For now."

We kissed goodnight. As I lay my head down on the earth, taking Connor's hand, I murmured, "I will see you in my dreams."

"I'll be waiting," Connor replied, smiling. "Goodnight, Zera."

I smiled. And then I drifted off to dream.


	21. Chapter 21

To lillianaakajose: Your review made me curious, so I looked it up. It turns out that he actually _is _old enough, but I wasn't thinking about that when I wrote the chapter. If you've played the game, you know what's coming, and a baby would have made that _way _too complex. But hey - learned something new, right? Thanks!

* * *

><p>My first dreams that night were usual things – garbled, nonsense images that I would forget the instant I awoke. But my final dream was different.<p>

_Connor and I were together in a place that I could not identify. But I did not care that the place was unfamiliar. We were closer than we had been at any time besides those wonderful moments stolen aboard the _Pride_. _

_I shivered with elation as Connor's lips moved down my neck, and I pulled myself even closer to him. "I love you," I whispered."_

_"I love you too," Connor replied. "Are you ready?"_

_A slight laugh escaped me. "Connor, I have been ready for you for over a century."_

_Then he was inside me, and everything was perfect. _Nothing could be better than this, _was my half-articulated thought. I could not truly think when we were together. It was all the moment. There was no time for thought – and even if there was, how could I think when Connor was with me? We fit together in every way, as though we had been made for one another. _

_But then something interrupted our moment of perfection: The sound of metal sliding against metal. My eyes snapped open, as did Connor's, and we wrestled ourselves into a standing position. _

_My eyes widened, and I felt a rush of anger. Standing before us, sword drawn, was none other than the traitor Aquila. _

_"You!" I cried, reaching instinctively for my weapon – but of course, it was not there. I felt suddenly vulnerable, naked and unarmed as I was. But my vulnerability vanished as I took in my erstwhile master's features, which once I had regarded as those of a father. Now they belonged to a traitor, thief, and attempted murderer. And the one he had attempted to kill was _me_._

_I felt a lurch in my gut as I suddenly recognised our location. This was the cliff edge from the nightmares that had tormented me after my fall! What were we doing here of all places!_

_The wind picked up, mimicking my early nightmare. My unbound hair whipped in the sudden gust, but it was not strong enough to push me off the cliff as it had before. _

_And then, to my shock, Connor lunged at Aquila. Despite the terror I felt for Connor, I could not help admiring him as he leapt. I could see each of his wiry muscles as they moved him in preparation for a punch. I would never be able to see anyone else as quite so perfect…_

_As Connor's fist snaked out, Aquila's sword sliced upwards. "No!" I shouted, attempting to run and shove Connor out of the way, but my feet seemed frozen to the ground. I nearly fell over attempting to move forwards. _

_I could not look away as Aquila's sword sliced into Connor. I screamed, half in pain, half in anger, and tried to rush at Aquila. He had taken everything from me – the fyggs, my trust, and now Connor. I did not care if he killed me. I wished to hurt him as much as I possibly could. _

_And I discovered that I could indeed move. I raced at Aquila, arms extended to claw at his face. To my surprise, I knocked him back when I hit him. I clawed at him mercilessly. _

_"Traitor!" I screamed. "Murderer! I trusted you! We _all_ trusted you! I will – I will kill you!"_

_But then Aquila shoved me off, sending me flying a good metre back. I rolled over and attempted to scramble away, but I was not fast enough. _

_I heard the sword whistling towards me before I saw it. There was a sudden sharp burst of pain – _

I screamed, and my eyes snapped open. "Zera?" came Connor's concerned voice from my right, and before I could think I flung myself on him. Ridiculously, tears were spilling from my eyes. "Oh, thank the Almighty, you are alive, he did not kill you!" I sobbed.

"I…what?" asked Connor, and I looked up. Despite the blur of the tears, I could see him. Then a fresh wave came, and I buried my head against his chest. My body shook with sobs.

"Zera, what's wrong?" asked Connor. I could not answer. Relief, sadness, and anger were overwhelming me, and some part of my mind wondered if this had to do with my menstruation. I had felt strangely emotional before I had begun the first time…

It took several minutes of Connor holding me and rubbing my back before I regained my ability to speak coherently. "I had a dream," I hiccoughed. "But it became a nightmare. You were there, but then Aquila came…"

As I spoke, the feel of Connor's arms made my blood run faster. The first part of the dream was as fresh in my mind as the rest, and when my eyes met Connor's, I knew that I was doing a poor job in concealing the need I felt for him.

"It was just a dream," murmured Connor, and he brushed an uncooperative lock of hair away from my face. I could see by his expression that he knew his statement was not enough.

I bowed my head and placed it back against Connor's chest. Whatever the voice and the light had done in Alltrades Abbey, it had not been enough. It could never be enough. Something within me had broken when Aquila betrayed me, and I knew that I would never be quite right again.

I only hoped that Connor could accept damaged goods.

/\*/\

When I finally calmed down, I moved into the forest to exercise. I needed to do this each day if I was to be strong enough to fight Aquila. My nightmare had terrified me, but it had also reminded me of what I needed to do. Aquila would die, and I would be the one to strike the final blow.

The dream and my scream had, fortunately, only awoken Connor and myself. It was too early to really be awake – only perhaps five thirty – but I was not going to go back to sleep. And Connor did not seem eager to leave me to my own devices after my incoherent sobbing.

When we returned to our clearing, it was to find Sydney and Opal awake. Opal was cheered – it seemed that May the twenty-ninth was her birthday. She was now thirteen. And so, after breakfast and a small celebration, we set off for the cave by the spring to return Serena's necklace.

We found the ghost girl standing in the same position we had left her in. As we approached, she turned. Her eyes widened as she saw Sydney pull the necklace out of her bag.

"You found it for me!" she exclaimed. Sydney held the necklace out to Serena, who put a hand on it. "He gave me that necklace, you know," she murmured. "It means the world to me."

I had moved forward to get another look at the necklace as she had spoken, and suddenly the pendant began to glow. Serena looked from the necklace to me and back again, clearly shocked.

"He told me that it shines whenever there's a Celestrian nearby," she said. "I didn't think it possible, but you're one too, aren't you? A Celestrian, I mean…"

Her bright eyes held mine as I nodded. There was a mixture of emotions contained within her eyes: Sadness, as always, but also curiosity, relief, and…guilt?

Serena sighed and looked back at the necklace. "But he's the only Celestrian in my heart…" she murmured. "The one who gave me that necklace… Could I have it now, please?" This was directed to Sydney.

"Of course," Sydney said. Serena took the necklace and closed her fingers around the glowing pendant. "Haah…" she said, relief crossing her face. "Yes… It brings it all back…" She looked up towards the ceiling of the cave.

I wondered briefly how it was that she could hold the necklace, being a ghost, but I was suddenly distracted. The cave had vanished. Connor, Opal, Sydney, Stella, and I were on a grassy bank – the one by the river where Connor and I had had our splash fight. A Celestrian with shoulder-length blond hair and no halo laid face-down on the bank, clearly unconscious.

A young woman who I recognised as Serena – alive and well, with her hood down and the terrible sadness gone from her face – spotted the Celestrian and rushed to his side. "Are, are you okay?" she asked. "Are…are those wings! Are you a…?"

The scene changed, and we stood inside the Mayor's house. The Celestrian sat on the bed where I had recovered from my second fall, a bandage wrapped around his forehead. Serena stood where Wallace had, and an old man stood at the foot of the bed.

"So…you're a Celestrian?" Serena asked, excitement clear upon her features. "Really?"

The Celestrian merely nodded. The serious expression on his face seemed strangely familiar to me.

"I knew there was something special about you, the way you survived those terrible injuries…" said Serena. "And your wings…" She looked out the window, where I could see the Wormwood Creek church. "Ever since I was a little girl, I was told tales about Corvus, the Guardian of Wormwood Creek," Serena said, and I gasped. _This _was Corvus, master of Columba and the traitor! Had his disappearance been a fall like my own?

"But I never really believed you existed," Serena continued, oblivious to our presence. "…And I never imagined I'd actually meet you!"

Corvus looked away, his expression unreadable. As the scene faded, I understood why his expression had seemed so familiar. The serious, no-nonsense expression Aquila had always worn…he and Corvus were much alike, it seemed.

But then I was distracted. We now stood outside, where the old man and Serena faced ranks of soldiers. The man's position in front of Serena was clearly defensive. A soldier with a fancy helm stood before the ranks, as though he were in charge.

"Who the devil are you?" asked the old man. "There's nothing of interest here. Get lost!"

Sorry, old fellow," said Fancy-Helm, "that's rather out of the question. This is part of the Gittish Empire now. Even a backwards backwood like this must recognise the Empire's sovereignty."

The Gittish Empire…I knew that name, somehow. The very sound of it gave me an uneasy feeling.

"We're a poor community," replied the old man brusquely. "We don't have anything to give you."

"Really?" asked Fancy-Helm, sounding polite as he disagreed. "I wouldn't say that." He looked past the old man's shoulder, directly at Serena. Her hands covered her mouth. "There are other ways of paying tribute to your masters. That young lady would make one of us a fine wife, for example." His helm covered his face, but I knew he was smiling. I doubted that it was a smile of friendship.

As the old man looked to Serena, I suddenly remembered how I knew the name of the Gittish Empire. My History class at Swinedimples had covered the Empire's reign. We had just begun on it the day of the dance, unfortunately. I did not know much at all about it.

"You want me to give you my daughter!" came the old man's voice, interrupting my thoughts.

"Very good!" said Fancy-Helm. "You do catch on quickly!" My stomach sank as my vision flickered for a moment and I caught a glimpse of Corvus rising from the bed and running out, wings outstretched. When my sight returned to the soldiers and Serena, Fancy-Helm had her by the wrist.

"Get off!" spat Serena through clenched teeth, struggling. "Get off of me!"

"Come along now, there's a dear," said Fancy-Helm. There was a dangerous edge to the softness of his tone. "I don't think you'll like what will happen to this cesspool of a village if you resist…"

"Stop!" shouted Serena's father past the soldier who was blocking him. "Let her go!"

"Get back, old man!" said the blocking soldier. He pulled his fist back, readying for a punch. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as the air suddenly filled with static, and then the soldier was his with a burst of lightening.

My head whipped around to see Corvus standing nearby, a crackling gold nimbus of light surrounding him. My eyes widened. This was a power most Celestrians had to work their whole lives to master – even Apus Major could not summon a bolt with such ease as Corvus!

To my amazement, bolts continued to rain down upon the soldiers. One hit Fancy-Helm, causing him to release Serena and fall onto his rear end. The light from the bolts seemed to spread until my vision was nothing but white. The voices of soldiers resounded through the whiteness around me.

"Huuurgh!" said one. "Wh-what the blazes!"

"That power! Only a…"

"No one defies the Gittish Empire! You shall live to rue this day!"

"Fall back, men! Fall back!"

When we returned to the present, it was to see the ghostly Serena looking out over the water. "It was all my fault that he…" she murmured. "That's why I have to find him…Why I can never stop searching…"

She turned to look at us. "I want to thank you for finding my necklace, so… If there's anything I can do for you, I will."

"Too flapping right there is!" exclaimed Stella, making me jump. I hated it when she did things like that!

"You're from Wormwood, aren't you?" Stella asked. "Do you know how to get into the… What was it? The Bowhole?"

I was amazed that she did not mangle the name.

"Oh, my!" said Serena. "What a pretty little thing! Are you a faerie?"

Stella brushed at her hair, flashing a smile at Serena and a _ha-ha_ look at me. _What was that for?_ I wondered.

"Talk about stating the obvious!" Stella was saying. "And as for being a faerie, I'm –"

Catching sight of us choking back laughter, she glared and said, "Never mind!" Looking back to Serena, she asked, "Do you know how to get inside this Bowhole place or not?"

We sobered up as Serena said, "If you mean you want to know how to break the seal there, then yes… I can help you. I'll meet you there, then, shall I?"

She turned and walked off, and Stella turned to look at us. "Stellar!" she cheered. "See, I'm not just an outrageously beautiful face!"

I snorted. "I think you have overinflated your ego, Stella."

Stella glared, but continued. "This should mean we can get to that Upover place at last! Come on, then! Follow that spook! She said this Bowhole place is off to the west, didn't she?"

"No," Opal said. "Wallace told us that."

"Whatever," Stella said, waving a hand. And we set off to find the Bowhole.

Several hours and five quick battles later, we found Serena standing by a cave entrance set into a large cliff at the north end of the Bowhole wood. But the entrance was blocked by swirling dark and lightning.

"This is the place you meant, isn't it?" asked Serena.

"I guess so," Sydney said. "Wallace did say it was sealed, didn't he?"

Opal nodded. "This has to be the place!"

Serena nodded. "I know the spell you need to break this magic seal…" She turned to the barrier. "Heed the word of one Wyrmward-born: Open the path of light for these who seek the way to Upover. Answer my prayers!" There was an edge of desperation to her last sentence, as though she did not speak only of her request for the path to be opened.

As the last syllable fell from her lips, the barrier evaporated. Serena turned back to us. "Well, that's my work here done," she said matter-of-factly. "You're on your own from here on in. I must be on my way. I can't rest. Not until I finally find my Corvus…"

She gave us a parting nod, then turned and walked away.

"Shall we?" I asked, a hint of a smile touching my lips. Though it was cool and shaded here, the light and warmth of the day – and the companionship of my friends – had helped the terror of the nightmare to fade. Although I certainly was not going to let go of Connor any time soon…

We entered the Bowhole and found ourselves in a huge, bare cavern. The echoes of our footsteps seemed to go on forever as we walked in.

"Fascinating," said Connor, a sarcastic edge to his tone. "I've never seen an invisible statue before!"

I laughed. "I think it is down there," I told him, pointing. There were three holes in the floor: One to our left, one to our right, and one directly ahead of us.

"But down which one?" asked Opal, moving to the one in front of us. She peered down. "I don't think we'll be able to get back up here if we choose the wrong hole. It's a long way down."

I did not like that. I had had more than enough of falling! My feet were best when on firm ground.

"Can you see what's down there?" Connor asked. Opal shrugged. "Caverns," she said. "Monsters. Usual cave things."

"Same down here," Sydney reported of the right-side hole.

"And here," I said, looking down the hole to the left. "Wait… Opal, look south and to the left. What do you see?"

"More of the same," Opal said. "Why?"

I drew my sword and, keeping a careful hold on the hilt, lowered it point-first through my hole. "Now what do you see? Look up near the top of the caverns," I suggested.

"I – Zera! That's brilliant!" Opal cheered. "They're all one big cavern!"

I grinned and sheathed my sword. "It seemed too big to be able to share the space with two other holes."

"So it doesn't matter where we jump," Connor said. "I'll go down here, then." He moved over to Opal's hole, and Sydney and I followed.

"Ready?" asked Sydney, taking my hand and Opal's.

"Ready," replied the rest of us, and once we were all connected, we leapt into the hole.

We fell for about a second, then staggered as we hit the floor. I winced at the impact. My feet must have hit wrong, I decided, and after a moment, the pain faded.

Once we all recovered from the fall, I took Connor's hand, and the five of us set out to find our way through the Bowhole.

It took an hour to reach what seemed to be the final room of the Bowhole. A raised dais occupied the centre of the room, upon which sat the statue of a large dragonlike creature.

"I bet that's the sentry statue," said Sydney. "Let's investigate, shall we?"

The moment I put my foot upon the dais, a solemn voice boomed through the room, making me jump.

"I am the keeper of the path of light!" it said. "He who wishes to unlock the Wyrmward…must demonstrate his worth!"

_Or hers,_ I thought, but discarded the thought as the statue began shaking. "Ga-ga-ga-gaaaaaaaaah!" cried the voice. The statue rocketed into the air.

"Gah!"

It slammed back down…

"Drrrong!"

I was beginning to get the feeling that the voice meant something by "Gah-drong." Perhaps its name…?

And then cracks began to appear upon the stone. Light shone through them, and then the stone vanished to reveal a live blue version of the statue.

"Go!" it cried, and I was certain that it was not speaking of battle. _Gadrongo…_

But we battled anyway.

It was interesting to fight against a being which used a sword and shield after all our time battling monsters, but it was a pleasure, as well. It felt as though we were fighting a person, not a beast, despite its monstrous appearance. But regardless of that, we fought hard. I had a feeling that whatever harm we did to the sentry would not last once our battle was finished.

Late into the battle, Gadrongo's sword bit deeply into the muscle on my left thigh. I yelled, but through the pain, I felt a strange excitement. Strength surged through my left arm – my sword arm. I restrained my urge to attack straightaway, however. My leg would not support my weight right then.

To my relief, once Opal had taken her turn and cast Frizzle, Sydney moved to me and healed my leg. "Thank you," I said, and then grinned. It was time to see what I could do!

I extended my sword out to my left as I rushed Gadrongo, feeling the strength rush through my arm. Then I sliced in at him, leaping up in a corkscrew. "YAAHHHH!"

Gadrongo reeled and staggered back as I landed on the floor, lightly as a cat. The moment he reached the place where his statue form had stood before, he straightened, and stone raced over his body. Within seconds, he was once again a mere statue.

"You have demonstrated your worth," boomed Gadrongo's voice. "I shall reveal to you now the path of light, that you may venture forth into the realm of the mighty Greygnarl, Hero of the Heavens."

The statue shone for a moment, then disappeared. Behind where it had stood was a plinth housing a bow and a single arrow.

"Yikes!" Stella said. "No one said there'd be a flapping great goon to get past."

"Well," I said, moving to the plinth, "everyone spoke of a sentry statue. And what good would a sentry be if they did not fight to protect the path?"

Stella shrugged. "Well, all's well that ends in a well, I suppose. He's a goner now. What d'you think that bow-and-arrow thing is up there on the pillar? Something to do with opening this path of light or whatever?"

"That's what we're finding out," said Connor, who had come with me. I stared at the bow, fascinated by it, as Connor read the plaque below it. "'The path of light in this arrow is sealed, Cradled here 'til a chosen one be revealed. Let fly this arrow o'er the Wyrmward wide, As the way unfolds, boldly onward stride.'"

I placed a hand gently on the bow and felt warmth spread through my fingers. "What do you suppose the Wyrmward is?" I asked, picking up the bow and slinging it over my shoulder. It sat in place beside my sword. I held the arrow in my hand.

"It must be Wormwood Canyon," Opal said. "Wallace told me about it. It's this absolutely enormous canyon that separates Wormwood Creek and Upover."

"That must be it," I agreed. "Do you know how we might get there, Opal?"

"I sure do!" Opal replied. "Grab hands, everyone. I'm gonna use Zera's evacuation spell so we don't have to get back up those holes."

"Good thinking," said Sydney as we grasped hands. Opal raised her hand, knife still clutched in her fist, and the flash of light enveloped us. The instant it cleared, we were outside, in the Bowhole forest.

Opal took the lead then, and we headed back along the long path to Wormwood Creek.

"This is the place," announced Opal as we reached the end of the path. I stared. About three metres in front of us was a huge canyon, at least a kilometre wide. I could not see to the bottom.

A sign stood to our right, which I glanced at. Then I moved closer to read it fully.

_When Wyrmward, long sealed, is opened at last, the path of light, shining, shall appear, firm and fast. A wyrmlight bow's arrow, let loose to the skies, shall point out the path to the blindest of eyes. _

"A wyrmlight bow…" I murmured, glancing at the bow slung over my shoulder. "I assume that would be this."

Then I straightened and turned. "This is it," I said. "This-" I held up the bow and arrow – "should reveal the path if I shoot it over the canyon."

Connor grinned. "Let's hope it can shoot that far."

We all laughed as I moved to the edge of the canyon. A stone with a dragon's head carved into it was set into the earth there. When my feet touched it, the bow began to glow, and I heard Gadrongo's voice: "Fire the light into the sky and let it lead you."

I held up the bow and drew the string back to my ear. The bow was not my preferred weapon, but I had learnt how to use one. And I was fairly good at it.

_Here goes nothing,_ I thought, and released the string.

The arrow went an amazing distance, crossing the entirety of the canyon. In its path it left a glowing tendril which widened until it was clearly a path – one made entirely out of light.

"Well, would you look at that!" exclaimed Stella as we stared in amazement. "I can make light of anything, and you can make anything out of light! What a pair!"

"What a pair indeed," I laughed, turning to my companions. "This is it! This is our way to Upover!"

They were grinning, as well. "Nice work, Zera," said Connor, taking my hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "Yeah, I didn't know you could use a bow and arrow!" Opal said.

Sydney did not take her eyes off the path as she said, "Even if she didn't, I don't think that bow would let you miss. There's something special about that thing." She grinned and looked at me. "Nice shot."

I began to thank her, but then caught sight of Mayor Doffish, Wallace, a man with leather armour, and a plump man in blue approaching us. "Oi!" called Mayor Doffish.

"Uh-oh," said Stella. "Looks like you've got company."

"Like _we _have company?" I hissed. "You are here too!"

Stella did not answer. "Zera, isn't it?" asked the mayor. "And…anyway. What're you doin' here? We just saw a whoppin' great flash back in the village." Then his eyes landed on the path of light, and widened. He raced to the path. "What the-?"

After several moments of staring by all of the villagers who had come, Mayor Doffish said, "Well I'll be stuffed! A bridge…made of light!"

"Wow!" said Wallace, running up to us. "Did you guys do this?"

Opal nodded, beaming. "We got into the Bowhole. It's thanks to you we figured out what to do!"

Wallace's face broke into a smile to rival Opal's upon hearing this.

Mayor Doffish was still staring at the bridge. "'The Wyrmward will open with the light of the statue's sanctuary, and the way to Upover will appear at last'…" he murmured. "So this is what all that means? The old sayin' isn't just a load of yabber after all? Strewth!"

Wallace looked at his uncle, still beaming. "Exactly!" he said. "And now Opal and Zera and Connor and Sydney are off to give that black dragon the what-for!"

"Hmm…" said the mayor, then turned to us. "You weren't lyin' about bein' attacked by that dragon, were you, Zera? Looks like we owe you an apology. We've just been so caught up in hatin' outsiders after what happened all them years ago…"

_What _did _happen?_ I wondered. Serena had not shown us enough. If anything, I would think that the people of Wormwood Creek would be grateful to Corvus for driving the soldiers away. But when I remembered the cry of "You will live to rue this day", I got an uneasy feeling. Something more had happened. But now was not the time to think about that.

The other villagers had moved forwards and muttered apologies. "Sorry for bein' such ungrateful drogoes," said Mayor Doffish. "I hope you can forgive us."

Then he looked back to the path. There was a strange longing in his eyes as he looked out over the canyon. "Anyway," he said, "if the legends are true, Upover should be on the other side of the bridge, and Greygnarl with it. If you head over there, maybe you can meet up with him and figure out what to do about that black dragon."

"Of course they can," said Wallace, glancing at Opal. "If anyone can meet up with the Hero of the Heavens and beat the black dragon, it's them!" He looked at us. "I know you can do it! And we'll all be cheering you on!"

Then, to my shock, Mayor Doffish gave us a little bow. "Well, good luck, then," he said. "Everyone in Wormwood'll be sayin' prayers for you." And the rest of the villagers bowed. Wallace came over to Opal, and I was surprised to see him hug her. "Take care," he said. "And don't forget to come back and visit once you've defeated the black dragon!"

"I won't forget," Opal murmured, and they hugged for a moment longer. Then they let go, and Wallace left.

"Hang on," Stella said, "when did it fall on your shoulders to give this black dragon a hiding on top of everything else?"

"About a minute ago," I replied. "But it is a good idea."

Stella shrugged. "Oh well, it's as good a lead as any," she said. "I bet wherever that dragon's gone, there'll be some sort of clue about the fyggs. Come on, then."

/\*/\

It was an even longer journey to Upover than it was to the Bowhole. We reached the foot of an enormous mountain at about nine o'clock that evening, and we were still not quite there. A steep flight of stairs led up to where I could see firelight flickering – a clear hallmark of any village.

It was chilly as we climbed the stairs, so I was grateful for the physical activity to warm me up. We were several thousand metres above the level of the sea, and we kept going upwards. Strangely, though, it began to grow warmer as we reached the top of the stairs.

The villagers were mostly inside at this hour, though a few were still out and about. We found an inn very near to the stairs and paid for four beds. "We can search for Greygnarl tomorrow," yawned Sydney. "Right now, I need to sleep. We've been walking all day."

"'Night, all," said Opal, and left for her bed. She looked a bit dejected, and I could not blame her. She had seemed to quite like Wallace. I hoped she would be able to see him again at some point.

The rest of us dispersed as well. The beds were soft, and despite the thoughts buzzing about my skull, I fell asleep quickly. That night, I had no nightmares – just dreams of Connor.

We met up in the common room the next morning to eat and plan. I had awoken earlier, and so I was coming in from exercising almost just as Sydney had come out for breakfast. The others had joined us within a few minutes.

As Opal devoured a mountain of food, we discussed what to do about finding Greygnarl. "I say we ask the shopkeepers," said Opal as she swallowed her mouthful. I laughed. "You always say that."

"Because I always mean it," she shot back, and took a big bite of egg. We all laughed.

Sydney's map was spread on the table. I pushed a small vessel of marmalade out of the way to get a better view of Upover and the mountain it sat on. Really, it was a volcano known as the Magmaroo. I hated to think what would happen if it erupted, but none of the villagers I saw through the inn's windows seemed bothered by that.

I sighed, looking down at Angel Falls's position on the continent to our north. It seemed like years since I had been there, watching over the village with Aquila. Now here I sat with the appearance of a mortal, in the companionship of friends (shock enough on its own!), a faerie, and my best friend of all – a boy whom I loved. And with whom I had had sex… My Celestrian life seemed like something out of a novel.

Connor laid his hand on top of mine, and I smiled. I would not trade this life to have my old one back again, I knew it. The mortal realm was home to me now, not the Observatory. I had not changed. I had merely found my place.

When we finally dragged Opal away from the food, we headed out to ask about Greygnarl – and shop, of course. Opal found a sword breaker at the weapons shop, and Sydney found a magical mace. None of us purchased anything at the armour shop, though Opal tried on everything.

After a quarter-hour of asking around the village, we found ourselves in front of a cave. As we approached, the man guarding it said, "Mind how you go, eh?" This here cave up to the top's chocker with monsters and lava and crikey knows what else. So if you ain't got a good reason to go up there, I wouldn't bother if I were you."

Opal stifled a snort and came out with a strange sound like a monster choking. We all turned away so that the guard would not think we were laughing at him, and attempted to behave normally.

"Well, how are we supposed to talk to Greygnarl if we can't get up there?" asked Stella indignantly. "Everyone's been saying that's where he lives – up top of the Magmaroo! Come on, I think we ought to find whoever's in charge here and give him a few pieces of our minds!"

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing and said, "Perhaps we _should _find the mayor. If anyone will give us permission to go up, it will be him."

It turned out that the mayor lived right next door to the cave entrance.

"Hello, sir," I said when he introduced himself as the mayor. "We have come here to find Greygnarl. You see, we are in need of his assistance in chasing down a black dragon." I nearly winced at how ridiculous that sounded.

"Don't be daft!" said the mayor, just as I had feared he would. But his next words surprised me a bit. "The only big black dragon here was Barbarus, and Greygnarl saw to him three hundred years back."

_Three hundred years!_ I thought. _But only Celestrians live that long…_

"Still," said the mayor after looking us over, "I don't reckon you'd come all this way just to tell fibs, so I guess there must be something in it…"

Looking at our hopeful expressions, he sighed. "Okay, why don't you head up the Magmaroo and see old Greygnarl. Let's see what he has to say about it. I reckon you're on a wild goose chase, but we can hardly let you trek all the way up here and then turn you away, eh? D'you know where to find him?"

"At the top of the Magmaroo," Opal said. "We heard." She still did not sound quite like her usual cheerful self, but I ignored it. If, even after three days, I had had to leave Connor, I would have been dejected, too.

"So you're off to see old Greygnarl, are ya?" asked a voice from behind us, and we turned to see an old woman looking at us. We nodded. The old woman smiled. "Well, I ain't seen him for yonks, so say g'day for me, and tell him I'm doin' fine since he left me in charge down here, okay?"

As we began to acquiesce, the old woman shook her head vigorously. "Ahh, what am I thinkin'?" she said, smiling. "I can't have yez doin' me dirty work for me just 'cos I'm getting' on a bit. I'll trek up there myself."

"All right," said Connor, and we headed out. I laughed.

"I've been thinking…" said Stella as we walked back over to the cave. "This Greygnarl we're supposed to go and meet… He was around three hundred years ago, right? So how come he's still alive? You don't think he's some kind of zombie, do you?" Her expression grew panicked and she said, "Eeeurgh! I hate rotten, stinking zombies…"

"I am sure he is not a zombie, Stella," I said. "There is something else going on here."

When we told the guard that the mayor had given us permission, he moved aside to let us through. Inside the cave, it was much hotter than out on the mountain.

"Good grief," muttered Sydney. "Let's hope we can get through here quickly, huh?"

"Yeah," agreed Opal. "I think we'll all melt if we stay in here too long!"

Fortunately, it was not as long a journey up the Magmaroo as it had been to Upover. Within two hours, we were outside, although now it was freezing rather than boiling hot. But it grew warmer again as we followed the path up and around the mountain. We were approaching the crater.

At the very top, we crossed a short stone bridge over the lava to a circular platform. My stomach did nervous somersaults as I noticed just how far down it was. And the lava below would not make for a comfortable landing…

As we walked onto the platform, there was a rumbling from a cave set into the back. A pair of yellow eyes glinted. "Who dares disturb me?" came a deep, roiling voice from within. It did not sound like any voice I had ever heard before. In it, there was the sound of fire and thunder.

The ground shook as the eyes moved closer. My stomach twisted, and I moved to put my arm around Connor. To my relief, he put an arm around me as well. The shaking increased, and something exited the cave. My eyes widened.

Golden-yellow eyes with catlike pupils… Enormous, lizard-like, white-scaled body… Long, sharp talons… A mouth full of razor-sharp teeth…

Greygnarl, the Hero of the Heavens, was a _dragon_.


	22. Chapter 22

_Greygnarl, the Hero of the Heavens, was a dragon._

* * *

><p>"Hmm," said Greygnarl as we stared in amazement. "You are not villagers, I see."<p>

I had long held a fascination for dragons, though I had never met one. Greygnarl's voice was much better than my imaginings of what one would sound like, though it had the rough drawl of the Upoverians accenting it. _Amazing…_

"I am Greygnarl, Hero of the Heavens," he continued. "What business do you have with me, wander – Grr…"

He had broken off in a lip-curling, hair-raising growl and backed up half a pace. His eyes were suddenly full of anger, and they were trained directly on me. My stomach did an uncomfortable flip as I saw fire flicker in the pits of his nostrils. I tightened my grip on Connor, preparing to get him out of the way if the dragon attacked.

"The stench that surrounds you…" growled Greygnarl. "It is one I cannot easily forget. It is the very rancour that lay thick about the denizens of the Gittish Empire…"

There was the Gittish Empire once again. This was not good. Not good at all…

Greygnarl's nostrils flared, and I instinctively inched in front of Connor. "Careful," he murmured, and I nodded tightly. Greygnarl had begun to speak again, and his words did not instil me with confidence.

"So, you are an agent of the House of Gitt, sent to destroy me?" he asked, his voice deepening into a roar. "Do you fools never learn? Very well. Since you insist, you shall bear witness to the awesome power of dragonkind!"

He reared back and roared. As he returned to his former position, he exhaled a huge tongue of flame. I yanked Connor behind my shield as the inferno swirled around us, worse even than the heat inside the volcano. As soon as the flames dissipated, Connor leapt up and executed a four-hit attack. I grinned. "Excellent!"

Opal cast Boom, knocking Greygnarl back a pace or two. Sydney cast Buff on Opal to supplement her defence.

It felt strange to be fighting a dragon, I reflected as I used Dragon Slash. Yet it felt rather exciting. I idolised dragons, in a way; testing my skills against one was gratifying.

The battle did not last as long as others we had fought. Even on a dragon, I supposed, three hundred years took its toll. At the end, Greygnarl could scarcely raise his head.

"Imperial dogs…" he growled. "Had my wings not been damaged so, it would never have ended thus." He glared directly at me. "Well then?" he asked. "Come, will you not end my misery? Better to die than to live with the shame of defeat!"

I sheathed my sword. "No."

I would not kill a dragon – not even this one. I did not like Greygnarl.

Greygnarl bared his teeth at me, but before he could do anything else, I heard a voice from behind us.

"Hang on!" it said, and we turned to see the old woman from the mayor's house hurrying up to us. She was scowling. "Wait up! Wait just a bloomin' second!" She reached us, and stopped, breathing heavily. "I get a feelin' in me bones that something's up, so I hoof it all the way up here, and what do I find?"

She glared at me, and it struck me that her glare was strangely similar to Greygnarl's. "The whole ruddy bunch o' yez, fightin' like nippers! I thought you four wanted Greygnarl here to help yez with this dark dragon."

"We did," Opal said, "but he –"

"'Dark dragon'…?" asked Greygnarl, and I looked to him. "So Barbarus is abroad once more… Three long centuries have passed since I defeated that evil fiend."

The old woman snorted. "Well you musta done a ruddy shonky job of it if he's up and about again, eh? Now look here, these nippers need your help…"

The four of us explained, briefly, what had occurred. When we finished, Greygnarl sighed long and hard. "I understand," he said. "You wish me to take to the skies and vanquish mighty Barbarus as I did so long ago…"

I nodded, but the old woman said, "Oh, ah… I dunno about that… Um… Maybe just a few words of advice or something, you know?"

Greygnarl gave a sharp look to the old woman. "So you think me a wizened old lizard too feeble to face one such as he? Hrmph!" When he snorted, a pair of flames left his nostrils. Sydney leapt back to keep her pinafore from becoming kindling.

"Either way it matters not," said Greygnarl. "I will not help you."

"What!" exploded all four of us. Greygnarl's head snapped around to glare at each of us. "Do I seem frail and foolish enough to believe tales of Barbarus's return told by maggots who come to me reeking of the Empire?"

My hand moved to my sword. It was a pity he had not said this earlier, when he asked me to kill him. I may have just done it!

"Alright, alright, keep your bloomin' hair on," said the old woman. "You won't help. We get it." She looked at us, rolling her eyes. "Well, you heard the old coot. Sorry. There's naff-all I can do if he wants to act like such a big bloomin' baby. Sorry, chookies. It's probably best if yez skedaddle now."

"Too bloomin' right!" exclaimed Greygnarl, looking away, and I nearly choked trying to keep from laughing. "Rack off, the lot o' yez!"

I rolled my eyes as we turned away. "Blimey!" exclaimed Stella. "Well that was a bit of a turnip for the books, the Hero of the Heavens turning out to be a grumpy old dragon! I suppose that's how come he can have fought the Empire three hundred years ago and still be alive, eh? But he didn't look up to much, did he? If he ever was a hero, he'd be the only one old enough to remember! He wouldn't listen to a word you said, and he can't even fly anyway. Looks like we were flogging a dead donkey. Let's go."

"Stupid lizard," I muttered. And we headed back down the mountain.

When we reached Upover, there was something going on. Everyone was gathered on the wall looking out over the lower tier. We moved to the edge to figure out what everyone was staring at.

A number of the citizens lay about, clearly injured. In the centre of the ring of villagers stood…three monsters! They were each of a type I had only read about: A fright knight and a pair of stenchurions.

Then, to my shock, the fright knight spoke. "We are, as I am sure you are aware, soldiers of the almighty and eternal Gittish Empire," he said, and my mouth dropped open. The Gittish Empire…was made up of monsters? But the soldiers in the memory Serena had shown us had not been monsters… At least, not physically. Something was wrong here. Deeply wrong.

I gestured to the others and began to move towards the stairs.

"Upover has long been a hotbed of anti-Imperial sentiment, so we felt a spot of total obliteration might rather improve the place," continued the fright knight. As we edged down the stairs, I almost laughed. The monster spoke in a very proper tone, like a boarding-school student from fifty years ago.

The soldier to the left spoke in the same manner. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to let us wipe you and that ghastly Greygnarl off the face of the planet, we'd be much obliged."

That was it. "Come on!" I cried, drawing my sword, and the four of us charged the monsters.

The battle was over very quickly. After we defeated the two stenchurions, the fright knight backed away half a pace, stammering, "G-Goodness… It…seems that some of these insurgents are…a little less b-backward than we thought. We…must inform His Goreship…"

A new voice entered from the sky. "Hoo, hoo, hoo," it laughed. "There will be no need. I am already aware of your hoomiliating defeat."

We turned as a strange-looking bird-man dropped down in front of the stairs. There were gasps from Connor, Opal, Sydney, and the fright knight. "That's the lieutenant who was riding Barbarus!" Connor hissed in my ear. I stiffened.

"L-Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore!" exclaimed the fright knight. "P-Please! Your Goreship! You must h-help –"

"Hoo…" said Hootingham-Gore softly. "I hardly think that one incompetent enough to allow himself to be bested by mere mortals, to wit yourself, deserves help. Those hoo disgrace the great name of the Gittish Empire should be made an example of, don't you think? Hoo, hoo, hoo…"

If the fright knight had had the necessary skin for expression, I knew it would look terrified. "M-My goodness!" it stammered. "No, Y-Your Goreship! I- Oh! Oh my! S-Somebody help meeeee!"

He was attempting to run, but Hootingham-Gore blasted him with a ball of dark energy. The fright knight's form flickered, and he screamed, "Arrrrrrrgggghhhh!"

And then he vanished.

"St-Strewth!" exclaimed one of the villagers, a minstrel man who would talk for hours about Greygnarl's deeds. I looked to Hootingham-Gore.

He was looking at me with interest. "Ohh, hoo interesting…" he said. "I knew I recognised you from somewhere. Hoo should it be but Aquila's apprentice."

I stiffened at being recognised as such. Connor put a hand gently on my arm, and I relaxed slightly. But not much.

"So, you are alive…" murmured Hootingham-Gore, looking at me intently. "Then it's not only Greygnarl and his rabble hoo need eliminating around here." He chuckled slightly. "Well, it doesn't matter a hooge amount. You, Greygnarl, Upover, and all hoo infest this wretched hillside will soon cease to trouble us."

With that, he left the way he came – through the sky. I stared up, troubled by his parting words.

"Zera," Connor murmured. Slowly, I looked at him. "What is it?"

"We should help out," he said. "Come on."

The four of us moved to assist with the injured. I tried to put the strange monster visit out of my mind. But it was difficult. The Gittish Empire was clearly twisted into the deepening mystery of Aquila, the fyggs, and the increased threat of the monsters. And I had a hunch that it had been behind the light which had ravaged the Observatory and led to my fall.

We had to get to the bottom of this.

/\*/\

The next evening, Connor and I were out walking. We were discussing a number of things, among them the Gittish Empire, my hunch, and Greygnarl. The sun was beginning to set over the west side of the village, and our conversation had lulled into a discussion about our having sex again. I was still against it, but Connor did not seem inclined to give up.

"Honestly, Connor!" I was saying. "It is not a good idea right now. Whatever is going on here, we are in it up to our ears. Even a slight chance of conceiving a child is too much of one!"

"But you're a Celestrian," Connor said. "You said yourself that Celestrians don't have kids!"

"Most Celestrians do not menstruate, either," I pointed out. "I read up on this subject at Swinedimples, Connor. Menstruation means that I am able to conceive a child. I saw your expression when I told you about it. You do not wish to be a father!"

"I don't want to be a father without realising it," Connor corrected. "If _you're _the mother, and I know it might happen, I wouldn't mind at all."

I felt my face warm up, pleased, but kept to my argument. "Listen, I understand," I said. "I wish to do it, as well. But it is a chance we cannot take right now. As soon as we solve this –"

"Zera?" came a woman's voice from my right. "Connor? Could I ask you somethin'?"

We turned to see a young woman approaching us. I recognised her as Lucy Oakes, as she had spoken to us once or twice. "Hello, Lucy," I said. "What is it?"

She reached us about the time I finished my question. "Listen," she said, seeming a bit uncomfortable. "I know that I don't know either of yez very well, but I was wonderin' if you could watch Elizabeth this evenin'. See, Angus and I could really use a bit of time alone, you know? Would you be willin' to do that?"

Connor and I looked at one another. I gave a slight shrug. "Sure," Connor said, looking back at Lucy. "No problem."

"Thank you!" said Lucy, clearly relieved. "I'll take you over there, shall I? That way I can tell Angus the good news!"

She led us across the bridge, to the house by the armour shop. Angus, her husband, was inside, along with baby Elizabeth.

"Great news, Angus," Lucy said. "Connor and Zera agreed to watch Lizzie this evenin'!" She squeezed Angus's hand and moved to get Elizabeth out of the cradle.

"That is great," Angus said, grinning. "Thanks, you two. You don't know how much this means to us!"

We assured them that it was no trouble, several times. When they had gone over where to find Elizabeth's milk, food in case we got hungry, and different things that we may have needed to take care of her, they left, thanking us once more.

As soon as the door shut, Elizabeth began wailing. "Oh, no," I said, looking down at her. I tried bouncing her a bit, saying, "It is alright, Lizzie, they shall be back soon!" but it did not work. She continued crying.

"She's got a pair of lungs on her!" Connor exclaimed.

"Yes, she does," I agreed. "Connor, you have siblings. How do you get her to stop!"

"Just rock her a bit," Connor said. "She's probably just crying because her parents left. Give her a minute, and she should stop."

But several long, loud minutes later, Elizabeth had not stopped crying. I had rocked her as gently as I could the entirety of the time, but it had not worked. "There has to be something we can do," I said, feeling a bit desperate. "Perhaps she is hungry?"

Connor pulled the milk out and put the bottle up so Elizabeth could drink from it. She pushed it away and continued wailing.

"Maybe she needs to be changed?" Connor suggested.

"I will check," I said, "but I think we would smell it." I lay the baby down on the small table that Lucy had told us was for changing diapers and opened up Elizabeth's. It was clean.

"This is ridiculous," I said, putting the diaper back together. I picked her back up and bounced her up and down. "What do you do with a baby that will not stop crying?"

Connor shrugged. "Nothing, so far as I know," he said. "Annie would cry for hours on end if she felt like it, and nothing we did could shut her up."

"Lovely," I muttered. We stood there for several moments longer. I, at least, was attempting to think of some way to make Elizabeth stop crying. Distractedly, I began humming an old tune that I had heard in Angel Falls – a lullaby. Then I stopped in shock as the crying decreased in volume.

Connor and I looked at each other. "Keep singing," he said. So I obliged, working my way through the tune. Connor joined in soon, and I decided that though it was perhaps a bit off-key, he had a fair voice. Between the singing and the gentle rocking, Elizabeth soon calmed. In fact, she gave a smile and an adorable little laugh.

I laughed, too. "You like that?" I asked, smiling. I sang a bit more, and Elizabeth laughed again. Connor and I looked at each other. He was smiling, too.

Connor started the next song, and I followed along. It was familiar to me, an old ditty about a little fish. Slowly, Elizabeth began yawning.

"I think it's bedtime for her," Connor said. We moved over and put her gently in the cradle. Elizabeth looked up at us and grabbed for one of the locks of hair that hung down over her. I laughed and tucked it behind my ear before she could snag it.

"Goodnight, cutie," I murmured, and began humming the lullaby again. Soon, Elizabeth's bright blue eyes closed, and she drifted off. Connor pulled the blanked over her, then put an arm around me. We looked at each other.

"She is so sweet," I murmured, glancing back down at her peaceful little face. Feeling more than a little maternal, I reached down and gently touched her cheek. I felt a sudden longing for something like this – a child who I could call my own. I sighed once.

Connor pulled me a little closer and kissed the side of my face. I smiled and leaned my head against his shoulder. "I wish we could have one," I murmured. Then I looked up quickly to find Connor opening his mouth. "Connor!"

"What?" he asked, too innocently. I laughed. "You know what."

"But we could," he said. "Just give me the word. I'd be willing –"

I shoved him playfully. "There is a child in here!" I hissed.

"Who is asleep," said Connor.

I laughed again, shaking my head. "You do not have to turn everything into an attempt to have sex, you know!" I said. "I may just have to ask you to leave!"

"No, don't," Connor said. "I can behave, if I have to."

"If you have to," I said, rolling my eyes. "Yes, you have to. We are not going to discuss this right now."

Connor sighed. "I know that you want to as much as me," he muttered. "You just won't admit it."

"I am admitting it right now," I said. "I love you, Connor, and I want you. But we have been over this. Not now. Just…wait a little while. When we solve whatever is going on, then perhaps the time will be right. And at that point…I would like nothing better than to have a child with you."

Connor sighed. "So that's a maybe."

I rolled my eyes, but kissed him. "Yes," I replied. "A maybe."

But I hoped, as we looked back at little Elizabeth, that it could one day – one day _soon_ – be a yes.

The next afternoon, as all of us walked around the village, we were spotted by the old woman. "Ahh, just the chookies I was lookin' for," she said, smiling. "It's Greygnarl. He gave me a message to give to yez. Strewth alone knows why, but the old flibbertigibbet says he'll hear you out after all."

"All right!" cheered Opal, and all of us grinned. But the old woman held up a hand, halting out excitement. "There's a couple of conditions, though…"

"Anything," I said. I did not like the old dragon much, but we needed his help.

"He said that if ya head up there on yer own – he asked for Zera – and take a keg of Drunken Dragon with ya, he'll give you another go," the old woman told us. "Drunken Dragon's a drink we make out here in Upover. Old Greychops is partial to a schooner or twenty of the stuff." I snorted. The old woman gave an agreeing roll of her eyes, and told us. "We make it in the storeroom down the stairs over there. Best get down there and grab yerself a keg."

"Thank you," said Sydney. The old woman nodded and headed off.

"So…why Zera, d'you reckon?" asked Opal.

I shrugged. "I haven't the slightest idea. He did not seem to like me much."

"That's an understatement," said Sydney. "You'd better grab the drink and head up. I hate to think how irritated he could get if he's impatient."

"Listen," I said. "If there is any danger, I will give you a signal. Just Zoom up to the top – I am certain that will work. Sydney, you know the spell."

Sydney nodded as Connor asked, "What's the signal?"

I thought about that for a moment. "Erm…"

"How about you cast Frizz?" asked Opal. "We should be able to see that from down here. And you know how to use it."

"That should work," I said slowly. "Thank you, Opal. Just watch for Frizz."

"Hey," said Connor as I turned to walk off. I looked back. Connor touched my arm gently. "Be careful."

I softened as I saw the concern in his eyes. "I will," I murmured. "Do not worry."

I turned away and headed for the stairs, attempting to look confident when I had no confidence at all. Greygnarl had refused to listen to us last time. What were the chances that a keg of drink could change that?

As I headed down the stairs, I wrinkled my nose at the scent of brewing drink. Halfway down a corridor and to my right was a door leading into a storeroom. A man stood at the back, facing a huge keg of something.

"Excuse me, sir," I called, approaching him. He turned. "Yeah?"

"Greygnarl asked me to bring him a keg of Drunken Dragon," I said.

The man looked back at the keg and made a face. "Well," he said, "she really needs a couple more days for the earthier tones to shine through, but I s'pose he never was much of a connoisseur…"

He shrugged and headed to a green barrel. When he returned, he was holding a keg of reddish-brown liquid that smelled rather like a bonfire. "There you go," he said, handing it to me. "One keg of the dinkumest drink there is! That'll get you in Greygnarl's good books for sure." He gave me a grin, and I nodded my thanks. Then I turned to leave.

Once outside, I used Zoom to get to the top. I did not wish to walk through the volcano again.

Greygnarl was scowling when I reached him. "You are late!" he said, his voice back to formal speech. After hearing him speak like the Upoverians at the end of my last visit, this sounded forced. "How dare you make me wait so long! Hmph. I suppose there is no benefit in dwelling on it. Tell me your name, worm."

My mouth tightened, but I kept myself controlled. "My name is Zera," I said.

Greygnarl snorted, and I jumped to avoid the tongue of flame. "A fittingly pathetic title," he said. "In any case, it seems I may have been hasty in saying you were not to be trusted." As far as I could tell, he made a face.

"And how do you know that?" I asked, attempting to keep a polite tone. _Pathetic title! _

"Was it not you and your companions who drove the Imperial filth from the village?" asked Greygnarl. "I may be old and decrepit, but these ears still hear far more than your mortal meatwings ever will. If a commotion occurs, I hear everything, whether I wish it or not."

Mortal meatwings; ha! If only he knew…

Greygnarl was continuing. "The Imperial soldiers I knew were of a less beastly appearance, but that stench… I know it all too well… There is no doubt they are the same worms from three centuries past."

So the Gittish Empire had not always been made up of monsters, then. I filed that away in my mind, choosing to focus on Greygnarl right now. But why had he thought my scent was that of the Gittish Empire…?

"Hm," said Greygnarl. "In any case, I digress. Did you bring the Drunken Dragon as you were bid?"

I nodded, holding it up. Greygnarl's eyes lit up. "Give it to me," he said. "Now."

I did not roll my eyes as I wished, thinking that it would not be the wisest course. I put the keg down in front of him, just inside the reach of his neck.

If Greygnarl had been a human or Celestrian, he would have been grinning. "Excellent, excellent!" he said. He looked at me. "Are you familiar with the phrase 'flat out like a lizard drinking'? You are about to witness its true meaning!"

With that, he put his muzzle into the keg and began downing the drink within. From the noises he made, I assumed he liked it. When he finally raised his head from the keg, he looked quite happy.

He hiccoughed once, and said, "Ahhh, you little beaut! Strewth, that hits the spot!" He was so drunk he was swaying. It seemed that for such a large beast, he could not hold his liquor very well.

"Oh yeah, sorry doll, I – Hic! – plumb forgot," he said, working to focus his eyes on me. "This is for bein' such a true blue trooper."

He held out one wing. On the claw at the end, there was a strange sort of seal. I picked it up and looked at it. It looked as though it would seal right onto my skin.

"I – Hic! – got this when I creamed one o' the Triumgorate three hundred years back," Greygnarl told me. He seemed quite fine around me now. I nearly smiled. Greygnarl was far more likeable this way. "He seemed to think it was pretty important. It ain't worth a zack to me, but I was thinkin' maybe you could sell it and make a bit of – Hic! – moolah or somethin'."

"Thank you," I said, putting the seal on my chest. But then Greygnarl seemed to get distracted. He looked up over my head.

"Hold up! HIC!" he said. "…What was that?" There was a pause as he sniffed. "Uh-oh," he said. "I'd know that – Hic! – stink anywhere…"

I heard a loud rushing sound, and then a ball of dark fire hit the front of the path leading to Greygnarl's platform. A dark dragon – Barbarus, surely – flew into view above the rising smoke. He roared, and hurled one, two, three, four, five more balls of flame – this time at Upover. My heart skipped a beat and my stomach lurched. _Connor! _

Connor stood on the bridge, kicking at the stonework. "Don't worry, Connor," Sydney said. "I'm sure Zera's fine. She hasn't sent up the signal yet."

"I know," Connor muttered, staring determinedly out over the barren land that surrounded the volcano. Sydney and Opal were just making it worse by trying to calm him down. There was no way he could just walk around and not worry about Zera, up there all alone with that angry old dragon. She might have been a Celestrian, and he knew she could take care of herself, but he didn't want her to. He wanted to be able to take care of her.

His head snapped up as he heard a far-off noise. "What was that?" he asked, looking around. Opal shrugged. "Dunno."

"That!" exclaimed Sydney, pointing to the sky. Connor looked up and felt a shock. Barbarus was over the mountain! Smoke was rising from a place on top, and his heart jumped into his throat. Had the black dragon attacked Zera!

Then Barbarus let loose with dark fireballs, aimed directly at the village. Connor gasped. "Look out!" he yelled over the shouting that was starting up all around them. He grabbed Opal and Sydney and they sprinted off the bridge, just before one of the fireballs crashed into it.

"Sydney, Zoom!" Opal yelled. "I think Zera's gonna need our help!"

"Got it," shouted Sydney, and she cast Zoom.

"Stone the crows, it's really him!" exclaimed Greygnarl. "It's that – Hic! – blighter Barbarus! What the blue blazes does he think he's – Hic! – doin' attackin' the village?"

I was not listening closely to the dragon. My attention was focused on the screams and shouts of the villagers far below, praying that Connor, Opal, and Sydney were not among those who would undoubtedly be injured.

"He must be tryin' to – Hic! – rile me up, eh," Greygnarl said in a tone that was quickly on its way to becoming a growl. "Righto. If that's the way he – Hic! – wants to play it. I've got Zera here, so I'm – Hic! – good to go."

I looked at him, surprised to hear my name. He was looking at me, as well. "Guess what, Zera?" he asked. "I've got a right ripper of a – Hic! – present for ya: Yer very own set of dragon warrior gear."

As my brows knitted together in confusion, Greygnarl continued: "All's you gotta do is chuck it on, climb up there on me – Hic! – back, and I'll be up and flyin' in no time."

"What!" asked a voice – the best one I could have heard then. I turned to see Connor, Opal, and Sydney running up to me. Stella was fluttering along beside them.

"Connor!" I exclaimed, flinging my arms around him. "Thank the Almighty, you are unharmed!"

Before any of us could say anything more, there was a loud thunk from the entrance to the platform. My eyes widened, and the others turned around to look. An aggrosculpture had dropped in, and was looking at us. My hand moved to my sword without a conscious command from my brain.

"Sorry…old…boy…" it said, "but…we…can't…allow… that…"

This monster spoke in a manner familiar to me.

"Lieutenant...Hootingham…Gore's…orders…are…to…give…these…little…upstarts…a…hiding…!"

Garth Goyle! That was who this monster reminded me of. It even looked a bit like him. We drew our weapons in preparation to battle it.

"We…cannot…let…the…dragon…warrior…return…to…roam…the…skies…astide…Greygnarl… You…will…die…for…defying…the…mighty…Gittish…Empire!"

The battle was short, lasting only a turn each. When the aggrosculpture turned to dust, Greygnarl said, "Nice one, Zera. And your – Hic! – friends too, I s'pose. Good – Hic! – work. Right, get this dragon warrior gear on quick smart." He gave a roar, and a blue light floated out to me. I put out my arms, and the light resolved itself into a full kit of armour – a helm, armour, trousers, gloves, and boots.

"Once you've put it all on and jumped up on me back," Greygnarl said, "I should be able to channel a bit of – Hic! – magic and get airborne. I can't beat Barbarus if I can't fly, so you're with me whether you like it or not, kiddo."

And to my surprise, I did not mind it. Certainly, Greygnarl was not my favourite being, but he was not too bad when he gave up the formal ancient-legend airs. He hiccoughed once. "Right, let's get crackin'!" he exclaimed, and I could see the fight in his eyes. "That Drunken – Hic! – Dragon's done me the power o' good! This'll be a walkover, I can feel it!"

"Zera," said Connor. I turned to look at him. "What?"

He opened his mouth, but clearly couldn't articulate whatever it was he wished to say. I could see worry in his face, along with anger, fear, and a touch of pride. Finally, he said, "You can't do this!"

"I have to," I said. "We cannot let Barbarus destroy any more of the village. You were down there; you saw what he was doing!"

"Yeah, I saw," said Connor. "But have you lost your mind? You're about to fly out to battle on the back of a drunk dragon who can't even fly!"

"Connor, I must do this," I said. I looked to Sydney. "Go back to Stornway – all of you. I will come find you when we are finished." I looked back at Connor, a pleading expression upon my face. "Please. I cannot bear the thought that you – any of you – might be in danger."

"You'll be in more," said Connor, folding his arms stubbornly. "Zera, you can't expect –"

I had dropped the armour. It had not even clattered to the platform before I had thrown my arms around Connor and fixed my lips upon his.

For a moment, he was stiff from surprise. Then he wrapped his arms around me and responded to the kiss with fierce enthusiasm.

This was not like any of our other kisses. It was far more urgent, full of more need. The heat from the lava below swirled around us, matching that of the kiss. The backs of my eyelids shone red, fitting the heat.

I soon grew dizzy from lack of air. I opened my mouth to breathe in and made a discovery: If I opened my mouth in the midst of a kiss, it forced open the mouth of the one I was kissing.

It might have lasted for days. It felt - wonderfully - as though it did. But then, finally, I pulled back, looking up into Connor's face. I felt a pang as I thought about him leaving. But I could not let him stay. It was too dangerous.

"Please," I whispered. "I love you more than I ever imagined I could love_ anyone_. And I would not be able to bear it if you were hurt. I swear that I will return to Stornway. Just get out of here!"

Connor hesitated for a moment. Then he nodded. "You know that I love you, too," he murmured.

I smiled. "I know."

He pulled me in and hugged me tightly, then stepped back. Opal took his hand, and Sydney's. My eyes stayed fixed on Connor's until the second he vanished.

Then, slowly, I turned to Greygnarl. He blinked long and slow, and moved aside so I could change in the privacy of his cave. When I finished, I placed my gear in my bag, slid the helmed onto my head, and left.

"Hic!" said Greygnarl, looking proud. "Look at ya! Every inch the dragon warrior, eh? Righto, hop up on me – Hic! – back, then."

I climbed up as a trio of chimaeras flew up and began looping around us. Greygnarl looked at me. "Oh yeah…" he said. "Bonzer. I can feel it… All me power's comin' back to me now… We'll have Barbarus barbied and be back before dinner! Let's get crackin', kiddo!"

We took to the skies, pursued by the chimaeras. "Where are ya, Barbarus?" roared Greygnarl. "Show yerself!"

For a long moment, we hovered over the volcano, looking around. Then I caught a glimpse of a long, lizardlike figure. "There," I whispered, pointing.

"Over there, eh?" asked Greygnarl, looking. He spotted the black dragon. "I can't believe yer still alive…"

"Hm hm hm," chuckled Barbarus. His voice was different from Greygnarl's. It was deeper, more death and destruction than fire and thunder. "Believe."

There was a long pause as the two dragons stared one another down. Then Barbarus reared back, crying, "And die!"

He launched a fireball at us, which Greygnarl dodged. A wild battle ensued. The two dragons whipped through the clouds, breathing out flames, thrashing and grappling with one another. I gripped hard with my knees, knowing somehow what to do. Our minds seemed to be growing together. It grew to the point where it felt as though we were a single entity. We roared and flew, attempting to wrestle Barbarus into submission. Our combined minds were far more sober than Greygnarl's had been before we had taken to the skies.

In the end, both dragons hung tiredly in the air. I could feel the aching of Greygnarl's muscles as though they were my own.

"Hm hm hm," chuckled Barbarus. "You are formidable yet, Greygnarl." His eyes gleamed a deep violet, and he reared back. "But this will not end as it did when last we met."

Lightning the deep violet colour of his eyes began to crackle around him, lacing together a net of dark energy. "What in the bloomin' blue blazes?" exclaimed Greygnarl. I felt the same. What on earth was the black dragon doing?

The nimbus of energy and lightning exploded outwards, rushing over us. The both of us stiffened, and our screams mingled together as an electric shock rushed through us.

We slumped down when the electricity faded, breathing hard. Slowly, the both of us raised out heads. Barbarus was still crackling with the energy. Slowly, it faded, but his eyes were still glowing.

"I command a power greater than any you have ever known," Barbarus said. He reared back again, and our stomachs lurched. Lightning flashed out from Barbarus, and he roared, "And you will bow before it!"

The lightning wrapped itself around us, sending electricity rushing through our veins. We screamed in a strange sort of harmony as we writhed through the air.

When the pain finally faded, Greygnarl very nearly stopped flying entirely. I put my hand on his neck, attempting to encourage him. This was not going well. Not at all…

"Hm hm hm," laughed Barbarus. "You have had enough? Very well."

We looked up as Barbarus reared back once more. Deep purple energy gathered above his open maw, growing...and growing…and growing…

"Now watch," Barbarus roared, "and despair!"

He swivelled so that he was facing Upover. "Wh-What the!" roared Greygnarl.

"No!" I shouted.

Dark humour flashed in Barbarus's eyes. "Simply to destroy you would not be enough," he said. "First, you must witness the obliteration of your home."

And then he let fly with the energy. For a brief second, Greygnarl watched it fly. I could feel the horror and anger rushing through him as clearly as my own. "I can't let him do this…" he murmured, rising. "It's been short but sweet, kiddo."

With that, he flung me off into the darkening sky. Underneath my sudden terror (why was it always falling? I hated falling!), I could feel Greygnarl's regret. And despite the fact that I was a long ways beneath him by now, I could hear him – perhaps through my mind – say, "See ya round. We can't have you carkin' it just yet… Guardian of Angel Falls…"

My eyes widened beneath my helmet. Greygnarl dove down, positioning himself between Upover and the ball of energy.

"But I've got a village of me own to protect."

He roared, and I screamed with more than just fear as the energy consumed him. "Greygnarl! NOOOO!"

There was a flash of blinding pain, and then a strange emptiness.

Greygnarl was gone.

As I plummeted, I saw a blond figure above me and heard her speak: "What that flap just happened? Honestly! It never rains but really chucks it down, eh…"

And I continued falling to the earth below.

/\*/\

I was not sure how much later it was when I awoke. It was cold, and I was not wearing my armour. For a moment, I was worried, until I realised that I was wearing a dark green tank top and blue shorts. Whatever I was lying on, it was hard and cold as well.

"Get up!" came a harsh voice, along with a metallic banging noise. "Up, maggot! You have an appointment with His Goreship, Lieutenant Goreham-Hogg!"

I groaned and sat up. I heard something open, and a very bony hand grabbed my upper arm. My eyes snapped wide open. It was not just a bony hand – it was a hand made _only _of bone!

The hand pulled me up, and I found myself looking into the face of a fright knight with a terrible overbite. "Come along, maggot!" he said, and dragged me out of wherever I had been. He shoved a door closed – a door made of metal bars.

I panicked as I followed the fright knight through the freezing place. Where was I? How had I ended up here? And…His Goreship? The fright knight had not said Hootingham-Gore…were there more of them!

And what of Connor and the others? They did not know I was here, surely. I hoped they were safe.

The fright knight pulled me through a door and stopped in front of a very strange being: An enormous pig-man wielding a spiked ball on the end of a chain.

The fright knight straightened and said, "This is our newest guest, Sah, sent to us be his Goreship Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore's forces, Sah!" His voice was very oily now, but that changed a moment later.

"Oi, maggot!" he snapped, looking at me. "You stand in the presence of none other than Lieutenant Goreham-Hogg of the Triumgorate! A soldier so loyal that he was placed in charge of the Empire's most impenetrable prison, the Goretress! State your name, and show some respect!"

_The Goretress…_ That must have been where I was. It did not answer my question as much as I would have liked, but at least now I had a name for the place. But now was not the time to think about that.

I looked at the fright knight sharply. "I do not think I need to," I said. "I seem to already have been granted a name. What was it...maggot?"

The fright knight raised a very painful-looking multilashed whip with metal embedded in it. I stiffened, and did not argue.

"Zera," I said. The fright knight raised the whip slightly higher. "Don't fool around, maggot!" he said. "You have a surname. Give it to His Goreship!"

_Oh._ I bit my lip, trying to think. The first name that came to me fell from my lips immediately: "Trumble. Zera Trumble." I hid a smile. That sounded very nice.

The fright knight shoved me forwards as Goreham-Hogg said, "And what exactly do you mean by bringing this pig-ugly nobody before me, may I ask?"

"Ah, yes, Sah!" said the fright knight. "This is the apprentice of Aquila about whom we have been hearing so very much, Sah! The same rouge who dared to challenge Imperial forces on dragonback, Sah! No ordinary criminal, I think you'll agree, Sah!"

_The apprentice of Aquila..._ I thought sourly. Why was it that all of these people had to recognise me in that way? I rather liked being thought a rouge by them – if they were as bad as they had seemed each time I saw them, than being a rouge was excellent – and as for challenging forces on dragonback, that sounded much more powerful than it was. But to be known always as the apprentice of the traitor...it made my blood boil.

The fright knight had continued, briefly: "It appears that His Goreship, Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore, was given orders to deliver her into our care, Sah!"

"But of course," said Goreham-Hogg, smiling in an odd manner – as he had to. It could not be easy to smile with a muzzle for a mouth. "I had forgotten that we were finally rid of that ghastly Greygnarl swine. His defeat will show those who would oppose the Empire that there is no one who will save their bacon! Weeeheeeheee!"

I bowed my head, fighting back tears as Goreham-Hogg and the fright knight laughed. However bad our start had been, I had grown to respect Greygnarl during our fight with Barbarus. He had been a true hero. And now he was gone…

"But what is this, Darius! You pig-headed fool!" roared Goreham-Hogg. The fright knight – Darius – jumped. "I believe I made it abundantly clear that we are in the business of penning Celestrians. Does this swine look celestial to you?"

I felt a strong conflict between laughter and tears.

"That imbecile Hootingham-Gore has sold me a pig in a poke! Bird-brained fool!"

"Yes, Sah!" said Darius. "Sorry, Sah! What shall I do with this, ah…mortal scum, Sah?"

"Throw her in the cells with the rest of her boorish kind!" said Goreham-Hogg, not seeming to care much. "We can always use an extra pair of hands."

I swallowed.

"Yes, Sah!" said Darius. "Very good, Sah! Right, maggot, come with me!" He led the way out of the room, and I followed helplessly as he headed up a set of stairs.

We came out into what was clearly a fortress, though, strangely, it had no roof. But I could not see anything in the way of blue sky. A thick blanket of ominous-looking clouds loomed as far as the eye could see. He led the way down to a wall of cells and shoved me into one, saying, "In, maggot!"

I stumbled as he slammed the door shut. The clanging of metal on stone made my heart sink into my bare feet.

"I suggest you rest while you can," said Darius. "You'll be joining the other prisoners for a spot of hard labour tomorrow."

With that, he turned and left. I stared around the cell for a moment, and then realised that there was someone else in there. A thin, bony body was curled up in a corner.

Not wishing to wake my cellmate, I moved forward quietly to get a look at his – or her – face. Then I stumbled back, slamming my back into the door.

My cellmate was a skeleton.

This cell was too small. It felt as though the walls were closing in around me. My breathing increased to hyperventilation. _I should not be here, _I thought, panicked. _This place is wrong!_

"Let me out," I whispered. Then I turned and grabbed the bars on the door. "Let me out!" I screamed. "Someone, please, let me out of here!"

"Oi, keep it down in there, will ya?" came a man's surly voice. It sounded slightly muffled. "I can't 'ear meself fink."

The voice was coming from the cell to my left. I turned to face the wall, feeling tears begin down my face. "You must be new, eh," said the man. "Well, I can see 'ow ya might not be best pleased endin' up somewhere like this, but throwin' a wobbly won't do ya no good. This ain't the kind o' place you can afford to go wastin' yer energy. Not unless you wanna be dead by next week…"

I heard a sigh, and the man said, "Get some shut-eye while ya can. They ain't exactly generous wiv the lie-ins round here."

He said nothing more. I slid down to the floor, putting my head in my hands.

I was trapped in an Imperial prison with a skeleton for a cellmate. My master was a traitor. Greygnarl was dead. Connor, Opal, Sydney, Stella: None of them would come looking for me, because I had said that _I _would find _them._

My shoulders began to shake from sobs that I could not control.

What was I going to do?

* * *

><p>Hi, everyone. I hope this chapter was a good read - they've been taking less time recently, and I'm hoping my writing's not losing anything because of it. You really can't win, can you - I feel guilty when I take too long, but I worry when it doesn't!<p>

So anyway, ignoring my weird paranoia...we're back from holiday. With any luck, the next chapter shouldn't be a horribly long time in coming. Until I get it up, well...may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	23. Chapter 23

My wake-up call the next morning was a banging noise and the sound of, "I say! What do you think this is, a holiday camp? Up, now!"

As the owner of the voice walked away, I groaned and opened my eyes. I felt as stiff as though I had slept on the floor…which, I supposed, I had. My stomach gave a growl as I left the cell.

"The others are already hard at it," said the soldier who had awaken me – a lethal armour. "I'd run along if I were you."

I did not reply in any way. The idea of a talking monster was rather unnerving, especially as the monster in question was so unfriendly. Instead, I headed through the door and up a set of stairs to the work level.

My way forward after that was blocked by a very large man wearing a too-small breastplate and shirt. He stood at the end of the bridge to the workers, and was really quite intimidating.

"Well I was wrong about the lie-ins, you jammy beggar," he said, and I recognised his voice as being that of my next-cell neighbour. "Anyway, mornin', treacle. I'm Sterling, yer friendly neighbour. An' what should I call you?"

"I am Zera," I said.

Sterling looked at me for a moment, an odd look in his eyes. "Blimey, I never expected…"

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, nuffing," Sterling said hurriedly. "Don't mind me. Nice to meet ya, Zera. I'm what ya might call the foreman round 'ere. You know, in charge o' the workforce an' all that." His hands moved, briefly, to his hips, as though he were a bit proud of himself.

"An' I'm also in charge o' givin' newcomers the guided tour an' showin' 'em the ropes. You just 'ave a wander round, an' I'll give you the low-down on all the interestin' bits."

Looking around the prison, I doubted that there would be anything interesting – just depressing. But nonetheless, it would be good to take a look around. At the very least, it would put off the work.

At the top of a nearby set of stairs was a strange device being turned by four men, each of whom were clearly starving and exhausted. They were surrounded by a fence. The only opening in that was occupied by a fright knight whom I recognised as Darius – that overbite was unmistakeable.

"This is where I few lucky so-and-sos come to get bossed around an' shouted at by the guards every day," Sterling said, and under his tour-guide demeanour was poorly hidden anger. "We call it the turnscrew."

"I say, this is a rather lax pace," said Darius casually. "Would you mind awfully picking it up? My whipping arm is ever so tired." He raised his horrid multilashed whip, and continued: "But not so tired that I can't manage a hundred lashes for any of you who I catch dawdling. Rules are rules, after all!"

"That's Darius," murmured Sterling. "'E's the most sadistic brute of all."

I shuddered. This was a horrible place, and what happened next only reinforced my opinion. One of the men – the one closest to Darius – had slumped down against the beam he was pushing. "I can't do this any more…" he gasped. "I can't carry on pushing this thing for no reason. What does it even do?"

"I say, that's hardly the spirit! This is vital work for the good of Mother Empire, don't you know?" And with that, Darius cracked his whip against the man's back. I cringed with him.

"Ow!" the man cried. "Sorry… Okay…okay… I'm sorry…"

I was staring at the scene in horror. Sterling put a hand on my shoulder and turned me away. "They're full o' that kind o' rubbish, but the guards don't 'ave no more clue what that fing does than we do. An' there's only so much endless pointless work a bloke can do before it gets too much. In the end it's just a matter o' waitin' to see which goes first – yer mind or yer body."

He rubbed my arm in a sympathetic manner as I shuddered.

We headed down the stairs and walked away. A bit to the south, a pair of stenchurions guarded a path that led outside the Goretress. I looked longingly down it, but my view was interrupted by a strangely coloured patch of air.

"This is the way out of the Goretress," said one of the guards. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you won't have any reason to come this way…ever. Move along now."

If he had had the skin to do so, he would have smiled. "Well not that you could get very far, anyway. You couldn't get past the shield field."

I looked at Sterling, hoping for an explanation. "They 'ave these shield field fings prisoners can't go through, see," he told me. "If ya could get out though, you could go up east an' 'ave a gander at that Gittingham Palace. It's up that way from wot I 'ear." Then we walked away quickly, for the guards were giving us strange looks.

The rest of the prison was just as terrible as what I had seen already. Prisoners being worked or whipped to within an inch of their lives, a graveyard with far too many graves, and – worst of all – a gallows.

"An' they ain't just for show, neither," said Sterling when he noticed me transfixed by the awful feature. "There's a lot of good mates o' mine been strung up 'ere for givin' the guards grief."

If that was supposed to console me, it did not do a very good job. I looked at Sterling, managing nothing better than a sad expression. Hastily, he said, "But don't let that fool you into finkin' there ain't no 'ope. I'm only pretendin' to be a good boy for now. But the second I get a chance, I'll make 'em pay for every one o' my pals they offed. An' I get the funny feelin' that the chance ain't too far off…" He gave me a secret little smile, and I felt the corner of my lips twitch in response. This place was terrible. But at least I had a friend.

At the top of a nearby set of stairs was another of the oddly-coloured patches – shield fields. Out of curiosity, I moved up to probe it further.

"Woah, woah!" said Sterling, making me turn. "I wouldn't go any further that way if I was you, treacle. Strictly no prisoners allowed. The guard tower an' the guards' quarters an' all that's through there, see. …An' there's them solitary confinement cells down the bottom an' all, or so I've heard… The ones where Goreham-'Ogg keeps 'is, er…special guests – the ones 'e's always on the lookout for…"

My eyes widened and I looked towards the guard tower. Did Sterling mean the Celestrians? Remembering what Goreham-Hogg had said the previous night, it seemed like the most likely thing.

"Anyway," Sterling was saying, "that's by-the-by. That there in front o' you's a shield field, an' I wouldn't go touchin' it if I was you. Your Imperial soldiers can go wanderin' through 'em willy-nilly, but any prisoners who try the same get a short, sharp shock. Actually, experience is the best teacher, I s'pose. Why don't you give it a quick touch an' see. You won't go doin' it again!"

Oh-so-reassuringly, he backed up a pace. I looked at the shield field. It looked innocent enough. I did not particularly wish to be shocked, but I figured I might as well see what I would have to go through if I were to attempt any kind of breakout or rescue. I would rather have been shocked a thousand times than stay in this Almighty-forsaken prison any longer.

But to my shock, the tips of my fingers passed straight through the shield. I stared for a moment, then edged forwards slightly until my hand was through. Then, grinning, I walked over to the other side.

Sterling's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Eh!?" he asked. "'Ow come you didn't get a shock?" He looked around frantically, then motioned to me. "Anyway, get back 'ere, quick! If the guards see ya, they'll have yer guts for garters!"

I hurried back, elated. "Phew!" said Sterling when we were both safely inside the prison area. "You 'ad me worried there, treacle. But what the 'eck 'appened, anyway? 'Ow come you just strolled on through the shield field?"

Then something seemed to catch his eye. "Eh!?" he asked, looking towards my chest. "What's that? It's glowin'…"

I looked down to find a small circle of my shirt glowing faintly, as though lit from beneath. "Oh!" I said, realising. "It is this!" I peeled off the seal Greygnarl had given me before our battle.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Sterling. "It's got the Imperial mark carved in it… But why's it glowin'? Maybe that's 'ow you managed to get through the shield, eh. Where'd you get it from?"

I saw no harm in answering. "Greygnarl," I told him, and was about to explain who that was when I saw the recognition in his eyes. How was it that he knew Greygnarl? I wondered.

"That wrinkly old lizard?" Sterling asked, grinning. "Makes sense, I s'pose. Anyway, listen treacle, we'd better keep this between us, alright? If the guards find out, we'll be in for it, so keep schtum."

I nodded, putting the seal back under my shirt. The glow had faded. We both straightened, and in a convincingly nonchalant voice Sterling said, "Right, that's about it for Sterling's Grand Goretress Tour. Sorry, treacle, but we can't put off the day's work much longer. Tell you what, we've prob'ly got a few more minutes. Why don't you 'ave another look around on yer own. I'll be waitin; here, so just come an' give us a shout when yer done."

Looking around the Goretress, I felt a sinking feeling. I could get through the shield fields – so what? The only way out was guarded. And all the others were trapped, too. I could not leave anyone in this terrible place.

I shook my head, looking back at Sterling. "I do not wish to look around again," I said, and my voice came out very small.

"Fair enough," said Sterling. "Right then, let's see what needs doin', shall we? Follow me." And we headed off to work.

When my cell door clanged shut behind me that evening, I almost felt relieved. I was exhausted, achy, and starving – our only meal that day had been a bowl of thin gruel each, at midday. I was also dispirited. During our brief lunch break, I had attempted to use Zoom to get away. It should have worked, for there was no roof to the Goretress. But it did not. I was thoroughly trapped.

Tears came into my eyes, but I could not quite summon the energy to shed them. _I wish Connor were here… No, I do not! _ I felt horribly guilty for even thinking such a thing. It was good that Connor was not here. I did not think I would have been able to stand it if Connor were suffering, too. But oh, how I missed him!

"Zera…" came Sterling's voice. "Zera! It's me, Sterling."

I looked over to the wall.

"I bet yer cream-crackered, ain'tcha?" Sterling asked. "The first day's always the 'ardest." He sighed, then continued. "Anyway, there's somefing I wanted to talk to you about. It's a bit of a long old story, but bear wiv me, it's worth it. You've been 'ere a day now, so I don't 'ave to tell you that the Goretress is a pretty 'orrible old 'ole. Which is why we've been workin' on a little escape plan for a while now."

I did not have the energy to become truly excited, but I perked up slightly.

"Wot I wanted to tell ya was that I want you in on it," Sterling said. "Well, I call it a plan, but it ain't much really. We're gonna wait for a chance to smash an' grab the guards' weapons off 'em. It prob'ly ain't the most sophisticated fing you've ever 'eard, but there's plenty more of us than them, so it could work. The problem till now's been what to do about the shield fields. As long as they're there, we can't get out. But if we 'ad someone like you on board who could get through 'em, we'd be laughin'. What d'you reckon then? You in?"

"Most definitely," I responded immediately. A small smile touched the corners of my lips.

"Nice one, treacle!" said Sterling. "I knew we could count on ya. But don't go gettin' yer 'opes up too soon. We still 'ave to wait for our chance. Could be tomorrow, could be next year… I'll fill you in on all the details later, so just get your 'ead down for now and try to save your strength."

Despite Sterling's admonition, I felt my hopes rising. There was a chance to get out! To see Connor again, and perhaps to rescue the Celestrians that were imprisoned in here. And to eat!

But the breakout was a long time in coming. I remained trapped in the Goretress for at least two months. And despite what Sterling had said, the first day was not my hardest.

Once the guards realised that I was stronger than I looked, they gave me heavier workloads. The weather never warmed, despite the fact that I was there during the summer months. All summer meant here was longer working hours, for we rose and set with the sun. Our meals never differed: One bowl of thin gruel each, at midday. The only thing we got enough of was water. The guards were not allowed to kill us, after all – at least not without Goreham-Hogg's permission.

Unfortunately, that happened all too often. At least once a week, someone was hung. Every day, someone would be whipped.

I was whipped on my second day, when I attempted to help an older man named Ronald with his work. Fortunately, I only received fifty lashes. Had I been any older, I would have received the regulation one hundred.

I say the weather never warmed; in truth, it never changed at all. Each day, the sky above the Goretress would be blanketed in the same thick, ominous clouds that never let loose a single drop of rain. I longed desperately for a glimpse of blue sky, a hint of sun, a view of the night – even a rainstorm would have been preferable to this never-changing cloudscape.

Few things ever changed. Each morning, we were awoken exactly at dawn. We would be assigned our work for the day (I had been given a permanent station of the turnscrew during Darius's shift, lucky girl that I was), and then we would go to it. At precisely midday, a whistle would blow, and we would have exactly ten minutes' break to eat. Then it was back to work until sundown, when we would be locked once again in our cells to wait for the morn.

I grew to know each of my fellow prisoners by name, which made things worse when there were hangings. It was not merely some nameless being up there dying; it was a comrade of sorts.

I missed Connor so badly that it felt as though it were a physical wound. During the brief time I managed to sleep, I was either tormented by nightmares or I had wonderful dreams – ones that tore me to pieces when I awoke. The nightmare I had had the night we slept outside Wormwood Creek came back to torture me multiple times. I was always exhausted.

So we were taxed to our limits, both emotionally and physically. The day when our breakout finally came could not come soon enough for me.

_Bang bang!_

"Ever so sorry to disturb your beauty sleep, but would you mind getting up off your slovenly backside and getting to work?"

I groaned and sat up as the soldier moved away. My nightmares had taken a horrible grip on me that night. They had not allowed me to awake, no matter how many times Barbarus or Aquila attacked. I had been stuck in a reel of my worst dreams.

As I checked the assignments by the door, I heard the soldier murmur, "Goodness me, what's that dreadful racket coming from over by the gallows?"

My heart sank. Another hanging…

"Anyway, never mind that," said the soldier. "Run along to work now, or I shall have no choice but to whip you into action!"

I hurried off. The soldier was not Darius, but he _was_ equipped with a whip. None of them were hesitant when it came to using those things.

When I reached the gallows, I went to stand by Sterling. He had been kind to me during the months I had been in the prison, putting up with tears and screams when I awoke from nightmares. He was beginning to feel nearly like a father figure – almost what Aquila had been to me before his betrayal. But I shook off that thought. The last thing I needed after my dreams was the thought of the traitor.

The man to be hung was Jamie, a black-haired man who had come to the Goretress not long before me. He was understandably reluctant to step onto the gallows.

"Step on up there, now," said the lethal armour behind him. "There's a good fellow."

I hated the guards. They were so businesslike and proper, no matter what horrible things they were saying or doing. Their every move seemed to be planned out to torment us.

"N-Nooo!" cried Jamie. "I don't want to die! Waaah!"

"Oh, do pull yourself together and stop making that abysmal racket," said the lethal armour dismissively, and shoved Jamie onto the gallows. Jamie gave a sob, and the lethal armour sighed. "Fine. If you're going to waste everyone's time being such a baby, I suppose we'll have to forget about the hanging for now."

My eyes widened, and I could see everyone exchanging glances. This had never happened before!

"I'll just slice you to ribbons instead, you malingering, work-shy ingrate!" exclaimed the lethal armour, and my heart sank.

"Waaah!" cried Jamie. "S-Somebody h-help meee!"

As the lethal armour drew its sword, I noticed Sterling going tense. There was a pause that felt much longer than it was, and then he muttered, "It's no good. I can't let 'em get away wiv this!"

And with that, he ran at the lethal armour. Hearing our gasps, the monster turned and exclaimed, "I say, what on earth do you think you're doing!?"

Sterling answered the question with a right hook to the monster's temple. It crumpled to the ground as Sterling turned to face us. "Listen up, all o' ya!" he called. "We've been pushed around by these 'orrible Gittish idiots for too long. Enough's enough! It's time we stood up for ourselves and put an end to this once an' for all! It's time to fight for freedom!"

"What d'you mean, 'freedom'?" asked Bryan, a man to my left. "Even if we beat them, we can't get out of the Goretress. What's the point?"

"No need to worry on that front," Sterling said. "Zera over there knows 'ow to get through the shield fields and let us out."

Twenty-eight pairs of hollow, hungry eyes glanced at me, then back at Sterling.

"Which means," he said, "she can get up to the guard tower and switch off the shield field generator. All she needs is us to lend an 'and by distractin' the guards wiv a knuckle sandwich or two! Piece o' cake!"

The others looked thoughtful. A merchant man named John murmured, "If that's true, maybe we do stand a chance…"

"Well 'e ain't got much reason to lie, 'as 'e?" asked Nathan, the gravedigger. "Let's give these toffee-nosed Imperials a taste o' their own medicine!"

They dispersed after the guards, some of whom were approaching to investigate the situation by the gallows. I stood there, a bit overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

"Sorry to spring that on you, treacle," Sterling said. "But you can't afford to 'ang around in a place like this any longer than you 'ave to. I mean, you got fings do be doing, ain'tcha?"

"Yes," I replied. "Is there any chance that I could fetch some companions to assist me? Things are only going to get more difficult from here."

"Don't take too long," Sterling replied. "We ain't got much time."

I hurried out of the Goretress, past the battling prisoners and guards. As soon as I stepped off the stone of the path, I raised my arm and cast Zoom.

The vortex of colour twisted and whirled around me as I dove through it. My entire mind was focused upon one thing: _Connor! I am coming to you…!_

And then my feet slammed into solid stone. My knees buckled from the impact, and I stumbled. There was a gasp from beside me.

"Zera?" asked Sydney, her voice full of shock. "Zera! It's you!"

I met her eyes. The joy in them was replaced quickly by confusion, and a bit of horror. "What…what happened to you?" she asked. "You look terrible!"

"It is a long story," I replied, making a wry face. "Where…where is Connor?"

"Probably getting breakfast," Sydney replied, putting an arm under my shoulders. I did not particularly need the help, but I welcomed it. Sydney opened the door in front of us, and we stepped into the Quester's Rest Inn.

I scanned the room in search of Connor. When I saw him, sitting at our old table, my heart gave a leap, and I raced forward to fling myself on him.

"Wha – Zera!?" asked Connor. Ohh, it was so good to hear his voice again! I had missed it so much!

I pulled back slightly and looked up into his eyes. For a long moment, neither of us said anything. I took in his smell, his wonderful dark eyes, all his face. A hint of stubble had begun to grow on his upper lip.

His eyes flashed down to look at me, and then back to mine.

"You didn't take much care of the wrapping, did you," he muttered. "Is what's inside still alright?"

I smiled, and pulled myself closer to him. "Just fine," I replied, and kissed him.

He pulled back much too soon. "You need to sit," he said. "Zera, you look terrible! What happened? When you didn't come back, I thought…I, I thought you were…"

"Not quite," I said, shaking my head. We sat, and Sydney joined us.

"We've been incredibly worried," Sydney said, but she was interrupted. Just then, my stomach gave a monster growl. I smiled wryly.

"Erinn was making breakfast, I think," Connor said. "She'll probably be done soon." As he spoke, I caught a strong whiff of Erinn's magnificent cooking – eggs, bacon, her speciality blueberry muffins. I looked over to find that Erinn was exiting the kitchen with several large trays of food. She laid them out on the counter, and then glanced around the inn. When her eyes fell on our table, they widened, and she hurried over.

"Zera!" she exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're back – we were all so worried!" She stopped then, looking at me. "I'm going to get some food and bring it back," she said. "Don't go anywhere!"

As she hurried off to the trays, I looked back at Connor. Everything seemed a thousand times better now. We were finally together again!

Then I heard footsteps racing towards us, and I turned to see Opal running at our table. I stood just in time for her to attack me with one of her bear hugs. As she squeezed me, I noticed that she must have had a growth spurt. The top of her head reached now to my nose, rather than my shoulders – at least four inches taller than when I had first met her.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, looking up.

"It is a long story," I said, repeating my earlier words to Sydney. We sat as Erinn returned with five plates. She slid them onto the table and sat down in the one remaining chair.

"Well, we're willing to sit through it," Sydney said. "So what's your long story?"

But my attention had been absorbed by the food. I pulled one of the plates towards me and began eating. Opal grinned. "A girl after my own heart!"

I laughed through my mouthful of egg. "I am sorry," I said, swallowing. "But I have been hungry for a while."

With that, I began to tell what had happened between mouthfuls of food. I spoke of the battle above the Magmaroo, and my subsequent fall to the Gittish Empire. My description of the goings-on at the Goretress were brief. I did not care to think about that.

"And we need to go back and help," I finished. I had had to stop eating halfway through my plate, for I was completely full. It seemed that two months of near-starvation made one's stomach shrink down.

I got four strange looks when those last words left my lips.

"…Now?" asked Sydney, concern in her face. I nodded. Had I not been clear enough?

They exchanged looks. Erinn seemed to be taking all of this quite calmly, I noticed. It seemed that she had been right all those months ago, when she had said that she would not be surprised if I turned out to be the Guardian of Angel Falls.

"Zera, have you completely lost it?" asked Opal. "Look at you!"

I obliged, looking down at myself. And I had to admit that they had a point. I was clearly starving and much weaker than normal. And I was dirty and exhausted, despite the fact that I had only awoken half an hour of forty-five minutes ago.

"Fine," I sighed. "But we must go soon. Sterling and the others are counting upon us. I am going to take a bath."

I bit back a smile as Connor rose. "And where are you going?"

"Upstairs," Connor replied. "I was going to put on my normal clothes."

_Liar,_ I thought fondly, but did not argue. We headed up the stairs. In the doorway of the first room – the one I had stayed in during my first stay in Stornway – we stopped.

"I know why you came up," I said, smiling.

Connor grinned. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, too innocently. I laughed.

"I love you, Connor," I said, "but you are a terrible actor." Then I moved to kiss him.

That clearly surprised him, but he did not argue – rather the opposite. One of his hands moved to the small of my back, pulling me closer, while his other cupped my cheek. My fingers twisted through his hair, short though it was.

We pulled apart for a moment, looking at each other. I could see the question in his eyes, and I nodded. Connor reached around and opened the door. As we entered, he pushed it shut and locked the knob.

"Why now?" he asked softly.

I looked at him for a long moment. Then, I murmured, "I have had enough of not being with you. It is time."

"Good enough for me," Connor murmured.

And we began to make the best parts of my dreams come true.

* * *

><p>Hi again, all!<p>

I know this chapter took a bit longer than usual to get up, and today I think I'll give the excuses.

I'd finished the chapter, and I was going to plug in my flash drive so I could upload and proofread it - but the computer didn't recongise it. As a matter of fact, after a minute or so, the flash drive grew really hot and I had to unplug it. The stupid thing lost the entire chapter!

So I had to completely rewrite this whole chapter. This version's a little different from the original, but I think I prefer it. Sometimes rewriting can be helpful!

Anyway, until I get the next chapter up, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	24. Chapter 24

I lay with my head resting on Connor's chest, his arms around me. It was not anything near as soft as the pillow, but it was far better. Finally, after months of being apart, we could just lie here together. This was perfect.

"I've missed you so much," said Connor, for the eighth time at least. I smiled and looked up at him. "I have missed you, too."

There was a gentle tugging sensation that told me Connor was playing with a lock of my hair. I closed my eyes and nestled into his side. Now that things had finally settled down – at least for this brief moment – I could allow myself to be tired. And there was no place I would rather have slept than by Connor's side.

I felt myself drifting off. However, at that moment there was a knock on the door. My eyes snapped open, and I looked up at Connor.

"Just a minute," Connor called. I moved my head so he could get up, and he quickly slipped on his clothing. He pulled the covers up so that they covered nearly to my chin, murmured, "Close your eyes," and went to get the door.

I kept my eyes open just a millimetre in order to watch what was going on.

"Oh, hey, Opal," said Connor. He opened the door a little wider, and I could see Opal standing out in the hall.

"Is Zera doing okay?" she asked, looking around the door. I quickly closed my eyes the rest of the way. I doubted that anyone would be able to tell the difference, but I did not wish to take any chances.

"She's fine," Connor replied. "After her bath, she came in here and passed out."

"Oh," said Opal. "Okay. I'm glad! She looked like she really needed it."

Then after a pause, Opal said, "So what do you think we're going to do about the Goretress thing?"

"I don't know," replied Connor. "Well, we're going to help, obviously, but I don't know how soon. Zera's going to need time to recover. What does Sydney think?"

"She thinks we ought to go in a few days," Opal said. "After Zera's had some full meals and a few good nights' sleep."

I chose that moment to pretend to wake up. I gave a huge yawn – not entirely faked – and opened my eyes. Connor whipped his head around to look at me, and I saw Opal beam.

"You're awake!" she cheered, hurrying around the door and in. It was only then that I remembered that I was not wearing anything. _Blast it…_

"Hello," I said, not sitting up. "What…what time is it?"

That seemed like a reasonable question.

"About eight," Opal replied. "You've had a few hours' sleep."

I nodded. Then I asked, "Where is Sydney?"

"At the church," Opal told me. "I guess it's gotten to be a habit."

"…Huh?" I asked, my brow wrinkling.

"Oh!" Opal said. "Right. You didn't know, of course!" She slapped her forehead lightly, then said, "While you were gone, Sydney started going to the church every morning. I'm pretty sure she was there praying that you would come back soon."

That made me smile, and yet at the same time it saddened me. I was glad that Sydney had cared enough about me to pray for my return. Yet I knew that among my people, none save Columba would have cared enough to pray.

It was mostly my own fault. I had removed myself from my fellow Celestrians and spent most of my life in books and in preparation to become a Guardian. But I had been so _different_ from the others. I had tried to find myself a place, to get along with my fellows, but I simply had not been able to do it. The only times I had ever felt as though I truly belonged were times spent in the Protectorate, watching over Angel Falls. Aquila had really been my only companion.

Then I shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind. This was not the time to dwell on my past or my traitor of a master. This was the time to do something!

"We must go back to the Goretress soon," I said, all remaining traces of my smile gone. "Sterling made it clear that we needed to hurry."

Connor and Opal both looked at me. I knew that they were about to protest, and so I quickly said, "Please, do not argue. Just listen to me. Even if the others have defeated the guards, they will not be able to last very long. All our supplies – our water, what little food we got – came from behind the shield fields. If we do not hurry back, no one will be able to eat or drink. We must go, quickly!"

There was a long pause. Then Opal shrugged and said, "I'll go get Sydney. And some food!"

She flashed us a grin as she hurried out, closing the door behind her. I pushed the covers off and got up, hunting after my clothes. They were lying in the floor of the room's adjoining bathroom, exactly where I had shed them earlier.

"Where's your bag?" asked Connor. "And your sword?"

"In the Goretress somewhere," I replied, slipping the tank top on over my head. "I did not have it when I first awoke there. With any luck, I ought to be able to retrieve my things before we need to fight."

As soon as I was thoroughly dressed, we hurried downstairs. Opal and Sydney were waiting by our table. Erinn and Patty stood with them.

"Hey, sweetie," said Patty, giving me a hug. "Sorry you have to go so soon."

"We will try to return," I said. "I was glad to be back here, for however short a visit." I hugged Erinn as well, and then turned to my companions. "Are we ready?"

"Yep," said Opal. "We've got food and blankets and pretty much everything else we might need." She grinned. "Sydney wanted to be prepared for anything."

I laughed. "I am glad to know that at least one of us thinks." Then we headed out of the inn. Once outside, I said, "Grab hands." We linked ourselves together, and I cast Zoom.

A moment later, the colours resolved themselves into the chilly, forbidding landscape of the Gittish Empire. As I led the way into the corridor to the Goretress, something crossed my mind, and I stopped abruptly. The others nearly crashed into me.

"What is it?" asked Sydney.

"I just realised," I said slowly. "You three will not be able to go through the shield fields. I am the only one of us in possession of a Gittish seal."

Three heads turned to look at one another. "I didn't think of that," admitted Connor. He smiled wryly. "I guess getting us was pointless."

"No," I said. "But it does mean I will have to go through on my own. As soon as the shield vanishes, you will be able to enter. Wait here. I will only be a moment."

I ran down the corridor, through the shield, and past the prisoners. Most of them were wrestling the guards across the bridge and down towards the cells where we had all spent our nights. I grinned as I saw Darius being locked into the cell I had inhabited. _Have fun with my cellmate, _I thought. _You two ought to have a lot in common._

When I reached Sterling, who was overseeing the imprisonment of the guards, I paused for a moment. "There are two doors on the tower," I said. "Do I take the lower one or the higher?"

"Eh?" Sterling asked. He glanced up at the tower. "The higher. Good luck, treacle!"

"Thank you," I said, and hurried up the stairs to the tower.

Behind the upper door of the tower was a room full of what looked like strange odds and ends. A grin stretched across my face as I spotted a leather bag sitting off to one side, adorned with numerous marks from travelling. My sword sat beside it.

Hurriedly, I dug into the bag and changed back into my warrior gear. It did not fit as it had before – I was too skinny after my imprisonment – but it would serve just as well as it had. I slung the bag over my shoulder and, keeping my sword out, hurried up the stairs to the second level.

A lethal armour stood up there, opposite a strange glowing device. I supposed that was the shield field generator. The monster guard turned as I emerged onto his floor, and exclaimed, "I say! How in blazes did you find your way here? This is most irregular!"

"I shall just slip past you here," I said, attempting to sound nonchalant, but the guard gripped my right arm.

"Well," he said, "however you managed it, I've no choice but to make an example of you. It's the gallows for you I'm afraid, old girl. Come quietly now, there's a lamb…"

"I do not think so," I said, and swung my sword at the monster's head. He ducked down, releasing my arm and having the decorative feathers atop his helm sheared off.

The battle that ensued was very brief. We exchanged blows for a moment, until my sword drove into a chink in his armour. He yelped and dissolved into purple dust.

I sheathed my sword and turned towards the generator. How was I to stop it? Searching the sides for a button revealed nothing. Finally, frustrated, I banged it with my fist and said, "Oh, stop it already!"

The seal on my chest glinted, and the glow faded.

"Huh," I said, staring. "I did not expect that to work." Shrugging, I turned and headed back down the stairs.

Sterling was waiting outside, along with Connor, Opal, and Sydney. "Nice one, Zera!" Sterling exclaimed, clapping me on the shoulder. "I knew we could count on you to get the job done! Right, the rest of the prisoners are keepin' the guards busy, so that side of fings is covered. But there's others who'll need a bit more of an 'elpin' 'and before they can get free."

"Who?" asked Opal, as enthused by this as she was by anything else. The chill of the Goretress did not seem to be bothering her.

"The maximum security lot in them solitary confinement cell downstairs o' course!" said Sterling.

"Oh," said Opal. "I forgot about that."

Sterling looked back at me. "Anyway, I can't 'andle it all on me tod, so you're gonna 'ave to back me up, alright? I'll go on ahead. See you down there!"

He headed off.

"Got everything?" asked Sydney.

I nodded. "All my things were on the first floor of the tower."

"Great," Sydney said. "Let's do this!"

We followed Sterling's path through the lower door. The room within was mostly empty, except for two down-leading staircases and a column of blue light. I looked at that oddly as I led the way down the stairs Darius had led me up on my first day.

We found Sterling waiting outside the room where I had had my audience with Goreham-Hogg.

"There you are, treacle," he said. "I knew you'd come. I seen you was sound the moment I met ya." He looked towards the doors. "Now, if we're gonna set that  
>maximum security lot downstairs few, we'll 'ave to kick that Goreham-'Ogg feller's 'ead in first. So what're we waitin' for? Let's get crackin' wiv the smackin'!"<p>

We all grinned, and pushed the doors open. Goreham-Hogg stood in the same place as when I had first met him, with a soldier on either side.

"Ah, more little lost piglets," said Goreham-Hogg. "Well, you can bring all the piglets you like. I'll make mincemeat out of all of you. But before I do, tell me: How did you swine get through the shield field?"

The seal on my chest glinted in response. Now that it was not under the tank top, its glow was bright.

"Hm?" asked Goreham-Hogg, his eyes bugging. "Is that…? My, my… Wherever did you lay your grubby little trotters on that? How did offal like you come to be in possession of the Gittish seal given to me by King Godwyn himself?"

I nearly choked trying not to laugh at this new bit of information. Goreham-Hogg glared at me. "Hmph," he said. "Well there'll be plenty of time to find that out once I've crushed your ham-fisted attempt at an uprising."

In my ear, Sterling whispered, "Zera, I'll take on the goons. You and your friends concentrate on smashin' that fat pig's face in!"

I nodded tersely as Goreham-Hogg said, "Now, let me teach you a thing or two about the true power of the porcine!"

Before he could attack, Connor used his Multifist attack. Goreham-Hogg reeled back. While he was distracted, Opal cast a spell that enveloped me briefly a hot, red-orange light. I grinned and called "Thanks" as I felt some of the same sort of energy from the battle with Gadrongo.

By then, Goreham-Hogg had recovered from Connor's attack. He swung the spiked ball around at me. I was not quite quick enough, and one of the spikes dug itself into my left quadriceps. I threw back my head, gritting my teeth to keep from screaming as the spike tore out of my muscle. My leg buckled, and I fell to the floor.

"Here," said Sydney, rushing over. She cast Moreheal, and I sighed as the muscle knit itself back together. "Thank you."

She flashed a grin. "That's what I'm here for," she said, pulling me up. I sprang forward then, slicing into Goreham-Hogg's thick flesh. He squealed like a pig in the butcher's shop, and I grinned. Then I scrambled back to avoid the drops of black, steaming blood dripping from the wound. _Eurgh._ Now it smelled like a butcher's shop. My stomach gave a small heave at the stench.

I did not pay much attention to how Sterling's fight was going. Occasionally, Sydney would disappear from our fray briefly, only to reappear by her next turn. I assumed she was going to heal Sterling in his own fight.

At one point, a look of excitement came over Opal's face. On her next turn, she crouched in on herself. Then she stood straight, flinging her arms out, as a strange fire lit behind her violet eyes.

Though she cast her most draining spells the rest of the battle, she did not seem to tire. Goreham-Hogg, on the other hand, was becoming more bruised and battered with every round. By the time Opal cast her fifth Boom in a row, Goreham-Hogg collapsed against his throne.

"Surely not?" he asked, seemingly of himself. "A Lieutenant of the glorious Gittish Empire cannot be beaten by mere piglets! It is a dream! A nightmare, even! No, it's… I remember now…"

He was looking at the floor. "I made a pig's ear of a battle and was defeated like this once before… Yes, that's it… It was Greygnarl…"

_Of course!_ I thought, remembering what the old dragon had told me regarding the seal. _"I – Hic! – got this when I creamed one o' the Triumgorate three hundred years back."_ The member of the Triumgorate he had 'creamed' must have been Goreham-Hogg!

"He made crackling of me with his breath, and…well, I suppose I must have died… Am I…dead? Pigswill! I can't be…can I?

"…And if I am, what of…our glorious Empire…?"

With that, he evaporated into darkness.

I traded glances with my companions.

"Hmm, seems like 'e weren't no ordinary monster eh," said Sterling. "What exactly's goin' on wiv this Gittish Empire…?"

I knew that each of us was thinking the exact same thing.

Sterling shrugged. "Gah, anyway, we can worry about that later. Now, let's see if it's in 'ere…"

As he moved over to a treasure chest to the right of the throne, I looked at Opal. "What was it that you did in the battle?" I asked her.

She grinned. "That was my coup de grace," she told us. "I call it Zero Zone. When I manage to use it, I don't need any magic whatsoever to cast spells. It's really useful!"

"It was impressive," Sydney said. Whatever else we may have said was cut off.

"'Ere we go!" exclaimed Sterling. We turned to see him straightening up, holding a gold whistle in his hand. "I knew it was in 'ere! Ahh, me dear old whistle! Now I've got you back, I can call the old girl again."

Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I looked at one another and shrugged. Then I noticed Sydney's eye caught by something. I followed her gaze to see her looking at a second chest, this one to the left of the throne.

"I don't think anyone will mind if we check out the contents of this old thing," she said, crossing to it.

I laughed. "Old habits die hard, do they not?" I asked, grinning. Sydney rolled her eyes, then bent down and opened the chest. She gasped.

"What is it?" asked Opal as we joined Sydney. She pulled something out of the chest: A key.

"So?" asked Connor. I looked at the key closely. It was rather odd, I thought.

"This is no ordinary key!" Sydney said, turning to us. Her eyes were shining. "This is an ultimate key. There's no lock that this baby can't open! A thief would give _anything _to get their hands on this."

"But you're not a thief," Opal reminded her. "Well, not any more."

Sydney's pale cheeks flushed slightly. "Yeah, well…still, can you imagine how useful something like this could be?"

"Very," Sterling said, and we turned. "That key should unlock the solitary confinement cells downstairs. Right, let's get down there and let the poor beggars out."

As we left the room, I looked at Sydney. "May I have the key?" I asked. "After all, you know as well as I who will be down in those cells. I told you all when I got back to Stornway."

Sydney hesitated, looking down at the key. Then she shook her head and held it out. "Sure," she said. "I don't need it. Like Opal said, I'm not a thief any more." But I could see the longing in her eyes as I took the key from her hand.

We stopped in front of the first in a row of cells downstairs. Behind the bars was a strange blue cocoon. It was pulsing with a red light, and above the cocoon was a halo. My stomach gave a strange flop.

"So they really were keepin' 'em down 'ere…" murmured Sterling. "Look, Zera, it's one o' them maximum security prisoners I was tellin' you about. What you see trapped in that cocoon fingy in there is no less than a bona fide bloomin' Celestrian!"

Connor touched my hand gently in a reassuring manner, but I was not sure I needed reassurance. I did not know what to feel. That was one of my people within that cell. But the Celestrians were not truly my people any more…

"Anyway," Sterling was saying, "we've got to get 'em all out. Open up the cells and set the poor blighters free."

I moved forward numbly and unlocked the cell. Uncertainly, I stepped towards the cocoon and touched it. It pulsed unpleasantly under my touch.

"But how do I release you?" I murmured. At the word "release", the Gittish seal glinted, and the cocoon began to melt away. The first thing to become visible was the head, and I recognised Ophiuchus, the brunette Guardian of Bloomingdale. As the cocoon melted down, his eyes flickered open.

"…Is it…truly you, Zera?" he asked, clearly confused. "Or is this an apparition I see before me…?"

"It is I, Ophiuchus," I said guardedly. "Wait here. We shall return you to the Observatory when I have freed the others."

With that, I left the cell, disturbed by the encounter.

In the next cell was Delphinus, the Guardian of Coffinwell and Sagitta's master. After him I released Ara, a relatively young Celestrian who tended to Yggdrasil. The final cell housed Ursus, a Celestrian of about Aquila's age. He was one who tended to those who had not yet reached the mark of their first century.

When I returned to Sterling, I still felt oddly numb.

"Blimey, they can't even bleedin' walk," Sterling said, peering into the cells. The cocoons had melted off entirely by now. "That fing we switched off must've been suckin' the strength out of 'em or somefink…"

He sighed, then said, "Anyway, we'd better get 'em out of 'ere first, then we can figure out what to do." He moved into Ophiuchus's cell and picked up the Guardian's weak form.

"Let us assist the others," I murmured. Sydney and Opal paired up to help Ara, who was clearly lightest. Connor and I worked together to lift Delphinus and followed the others up the stairs and out. Sterling quickly retrieved Ursus and placed him with the others in front of the guard tower.

When they caught sight of us, I could see the prisoners brighten. "'Ere, it's Sterling an' Zera!" cried Nathan. "They're back! We was worried sick about you two. Where the 'eck 'ave you been? We gave them prison guards a proper 'idin' while you was gone, Guv."

Sterling gave each prisoner a look. "Then wot are you still doin' 'ere?" he yelled, causing everyone to jump. "'Ow come you 'aven't scarpered yet, you bunch o' numpties?"

"Well we didn't want to leave our guv'nor behind, did we?" asked Dean, who stood near the gallows.

Sterling rolled his eyes. "You mean you couldn't fink wot to do wivout me, more like. Can't you see this ain't no time to be waitin' round for the likes of us?" He looked at me, shaking his head. "Honestly, Zera, wot are they like, eh? Bunch o' bloomin' numbskulls…"

"Ha…" came a voice from the gallows. Every eye in the room looked to see that the guard Sterling had punched was the one who had spoken. "Enjoy your little victory while you can, you disobedient rotters… What's that I hear? Is it the sound of wings?"

My head snapped up as I realised the soldier was not lying. Barbarus was holding himself in the air above the prison. As he roared, I felt a rush of anger.

"Now you'll see what happens to those who defy the glorious Gittish Empire!" cried the soldier over the sound of Barbarus's earth-shaking roar.

The dark dragon began making circles above the prison, raining down the dark fireballs. "Oh, crikey!" yelled one of the prisoners – in the deafening sound of Barbarus's attack, I could not make out who it was. "We're all gonna be burnt to a bloomin' crisp!"

"Guards are one fing, but we can't stand up to the likes of that 'orrible monster!"

"Oh no! Why did they 'ave to get 'ere so quick? We're done for!"

"Pull yerselves together, you bunch of wimps!" bellowed Sterling, and the panicking prisoners all stopped and looked at him. "Are we really gonna give up after we've come this far? Don't be daft!"

Nathan replied, "It's all well an' good sayin' that, Guv, but wot are we s'posed to do? It's not like we can fly, is it?"

"Don't you worry yerselves about that," Sterling said dismissively, "I'll sort somefing out. All you got to do is run. Go on, peg it!"

An argument ensued amongst the prisoners.

"Oh, come off it, Guv! Runnin' ain't gonna do no good!"

"Admit it, we're finished!"

"Nah, I reckon 'e must 'ave somefing up 'is sleeve, the wily old devil! Come on, wot've we got to lose, eh?"

"'E's right. We can't give up now. We might as well see wot Sterling can pull out o' the bag."

"Yeah! Let's do it! Peg iiiiiiiiiit!"

And they did so, sprinting together out of the prison. Sterling glanced over at us. "Right, let's see wot we can do, shall we?"

He blew long and hard on the whistle, loud enough that it drowned out the sounds of Barbarus's continued attack. It had a high, clear sound rather like a bell.

Something that looked like a golden comet streaked across the sky towards us. As it flew, it hit Barbarus hard. The dragon flew off, and I heard cheers from the prisoners outside of the Goretress. I grinned as I realised what Sterling had summoned with his whistle.

"Come on!" I said, looking to the others. "Let us go say hello to Stella!"

We hurried out of the prison to the Starflight, which had come to a landing before it. I slid the door open to find Stella looking my way. She folded her arms across her chest.

"There you are, Zera!" she exclaimed. "Where the flap have you been? And more to the point, what did you think you were doing getting yourself carted off like that? I've been flapping around like a blue-faced fly sorting the Starflight Express out all on my own since you disappeared. Don't you ever think of anyone but yourself? I've been behind myself with worry. You'll be the death of me, you will!"

She stopped then in shock as I stepped forwards and threw my arms around her. "Oh, I have missed you, you fantastic faerie!" I exclaimed.

I sensed her amusement as she pried me off, and she said, "Well I guess I missed you too, a bit. I suppose you think it's funny calling me all the way out to the back end of beyond like this, do you? Hang on, how did you even manage to get the Starflight to come at your beckoned call anyway?"

We both turned as footsteps entered the carriage. "Sorry if we caught you at a bad time, treacle," said Sterling. He was grinning.

"Wha – Oi!" exclaimed Stella. "Who said you could come aboard! Get lost!" Then I heard her gasp, and she zoomed up to him. "Hang on. You're… No… It can't be… Oh my days! It really is…" She flung her arms out as though expecting a hug. "It's old fatguts! Hello you!"

My jaw dropped onto the floor. _Sterling _was the one Stella had been searching for this whole time!? But he was a mortal!

"Who you callin' fatguts, you cheeky mare!" exclaimed Sterling, clearly angered. "'Ow many times've I told you, it's 'captain'! CAPTAIN!"

Stella shrunk back, chastened.

"Well, long time no see anyway, treacle," said Sterling, seeming to forgive her. "Looks like you've been getting' by alright wivout me. So 'ow d'you know old Zera 'ere, anyway?"

Stella looked at me, then back to Sterling. "What? You know this wingless wonder too, do you?"

"Well, it's a long old story, but yeah," Sterling said. He glanced around Stella at me. I was watching the exchange, bemused. "…Eh?" he asked. "Oh, right, you ain't got a clue what I'm doin' 'ere, 'ave you?"

"Not the slightest," I replied.

"Alright, it's like this…" Sterling said. "That prison foreman fing, that was just while we was banged up. My real identity is, well…"

He pumped his fist into the air. "I am the mighty Sterling, captain and chief engineer of the Starflight Express, supreme celestial chariot of the skies!"

There was a long pause as I tried not to laugh. I could certainly see where Stella had learnt her humility!

The faerie in question looked at me, then back at Sterling. "Still fat in the guts and in the head, eh?" she asked. "And still making a flapping idiot of yourself at every opportunity, I see."

That did not help me in my quest to avoid laughter.

"Nah, I was just, ah… just…er…" Sterling was flushed a deep red. "Right, first fings first, we should 'ead for the Observatory. …Ahem."

I disguised an unruly snort of laughter as a cough.

"The Celestrians we set free are in the carriage behind – Zera's friends helped bring 'em in. Let's lift 'em up where they belong!"

He moved up to the controls. I traded glances with Stella and shrugged. Then, as Sterling started up the Starflight, I headed to the next carriage.

The newly freed Celestrians were sitting in the booths along one wall. Opal and Sydney were attempting to engage them in conversation. I knew that they would have a difficult time of it. Connor was looking towards the door, and moved over to me when I entered.

"Hey," he said, touching my hand.

I smiled at the touch. "Hello," I replied. Then I glanced over at Ara, Ophiuchus, Delphinus, and Ursus. Four pairs of eyes flickered away as mine met theirs. I sighed almost inaudibly. This was one of the reasons I had never been able to feel as though I fit in with my people…

The silence in the carriage was painful. Opal's and Sydney's attempts to break the ice simply made things worse.

Finally, Ara said, "It has been quite some time, Zera. You have changed much."

I glanced down at myself: Wingless, halo-less, dressed in a warrior's garb, bone-thin from two months of starvation. "Yes. You could say that."

Before the silence could return, Ara asked, "So where is your master? I would expect that you would have found him by this point."

My lips tightened. "I did not find him," I said, my voice flattening. "He found me."

I said nothing more. I knew that it would not keep questions from coming, but I did not wish to be the one who broached the subject of Aquila's betrayal.

The four Celestrians looked at one another. Then Delphinus said, "You are troubled, child. Did you have a falling-out with Aquila?"

"In a way," I replied, looking away. Connor took my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"What occurred, Zera?" asked Ara.

I sighed through my nose. "I do not wish to speak of it." And with that, I shook off Connor's hand, strode across the carriage, and left, sliding the door hard behind me.

As the door slammed into the wall, I slumped down on the floor, head falling into my hands. I leant up against the wall, tears coming to my eyes.

The door slid open, and I heard Connor. "Zera…" he said, kneeling down. I looked up as he rested his hand on my shoulder. His eyes bored into mine. "What happened?"

I looked down, blinking back tears. "Those are my people, Connor," I said. "Should I not feel comforted by their concern?"

Connor did not answer. I looked up and met his eyes. "I should be," I said, answering my own question. "But that was not concern. They do not care. They merely wished to find gossip."

"It sounded like concern," said Connor, but I merely shook my head.

I could hear the others speaking in the second carriage.

" – just like her master," Delphinus was saying.

"Delphinus!" chided Ara. "Zera freed us. We must treat her with respect!"

There was a snort, and Ophiuchus said, "We shall respect her as we did Aquila – from a distance."

Connor began to rise, but I pulled him back down, shaking my head. I needed to hear this.

"I cannot understand why Apus Major would apprentice Zera to one such as Aquila," said Ursus. "She mimicked his ways enough even when she was but a youngling. All her time was spent away from the others. She ought to have been apprenticed to one who would teach her to fraternise with those of her own race."

"Zera was a great Guardian before the day of Yggdrasil's blooming," said Ara, still defending me. "She finished her apprenticeship faster than any other."

"Perhaps she was a good Guardian," said Delphinus, "but what good is that when one cannot understand one's own people? Zera ever was like Aquila, and after her time with the mortals, it has gone too far. She will never be able to be one of us."

"Like master, like apprentice," agreed Ursus. That was it. I rose fluidly, slid the door open, and stepped back into the carriage with the Celestrians.

I could feel the tears in my eyes, and my throat and nose ached from repressed sobs. Each of the Celestrians looked at me.

"You think I am like my master," I said. "Perhaps you are right. But if I am, it is through no fault of my own. You speak always of restraint, of politeness. Do you call this politeness – speaking of others behind their backs, gossip-seeking disguised as concern? And you wonder why I spent my time away from others!"

I was breathing heavily, keeping sobs restrained by sheer force of will.

"I am not one of you," I said. "And I am nothing like Aquila. Perhaps I do not feel connected to my people, but _I _would never – never! – betray them."

And then I turned and strode back into the final carriage, slamming the door closed behind me. I collapsed against Connor, who was waiting. He rubbed my back gently as I finally allowed the tears and sobs to break loose.

"I cannot stand them, Connor," I sobbed. "Nothing about them feels right! How is it that I feel more at home among mortals than among my own people?"

"I don't know," murmured Connor.

Gently, as my sobbing continued, Connor sank us down to the floor. My thoughts flashed briefly to the Celestrian teaching that mortals were inferior. How wrong it was, I thought. To me, there were no better people than the mortals.

And I wished desperately that I could be one of them.

/\*/\

It took perhaps ten minutes to reach the Observatory and help the freed Celestrians to the room beneath Yggdrasil. Her roots hung down into the centre of the room, and just by stepping inside one could feel the healing aura of the great Tree.

"Ahh, the blessed Observatory," sighed Ursus. "At long last we are returned."

"Zera," said Ophiuchus uncomfortably, "we are in your debt." He was even more formal than usual after my outburst aboard the Starflight. "Had you not come to our aid, who knows what may have befallen us…"

Ara spoke next. "But now we are returned to our home in the skies, it is only a matter of time before we are restored to our former strength."

"You need worry about us no longer," said Delphinus. "Make haste to Apus Major and appraise him of the events that occurred in the world below. You must tell him all… The revival of the Gittish Empire, the happenings at the Goretress, the resurrection of Barbarus…and…"

He trailed off, as though he could not force himself to continue. Ophiuchus picked up where he left off: "Of Aquila's betrayal…"

I nodded and took my weight off the wall where I had been leaning. Connor, Opal, and Sydney accompanied me out of the room.

As we headed down the stairs, I sighed. Connor touched my hand.

"What is it?" asked Sydney gently. "Something happened on that train. What was it?" She and Opal had missed my outburst.

I looked at her and saw genuine concern in her eyes. My stony expression softened. "I had a bit of an argument with the others," I said. "They were busy comparing me to Aquila behind my back, and I lost it. Stormed in and began shouting at them."

Opal was giggling behind her hand. "What?" I asked.

She gave up hiding the laughter. "I wish I'd been there to see that!" she said, grinning. "Watching you lose your temper is funny!"

"How, exactly?" I asked, mocking anger.

"I don't know," said Opal through her laughter. "But you're a Celestrian – you know, restrained and all that. Just the _idea _of you angry is funny!"

I gave up and joined in with her laughter. Perhaps I was a Celestrian, but I had never been good at restraint. And besides, these were my friends. If I could not be free with them, with whom _could _I be?

But as we headed down the stairs, laughing, I felt a sickening heave in my stomach. I clapped a hand to my mouth, feeling something rise in my throat. "Woah," said Connor, steadying me. "Zera, are you okay?"

I was not sure I wanted to open my mouth to reply – I was worried that whatever was rising in my throat would make its way out. What was going on? The only thing I had ever felt that resembled this was when I had attempted to defy Aquila aboard the Starflight.

Then I lost the battle against my rising gorge. The others leapt out of the way as I threw up against the side of the stairs. I felt someone move my hair out of my face as my stomach gave two more heaves. Then I simply kneeled there, shaking and feeling more than a bit nauseous.

"Urgh," I said, breathing through my mouth so that I could not smell my returned breakfast. "That was…distinctly strange."

"You're telling me," muttered Connor.

"Can you get up?" asked Sydney. "We might want to move away from here."

I stood shakily, with Connor's support. "What happened?" he asked. "I thought you didn't get sick."

"I do not," I replied. "Or I did not." I swallowed, and then asked, "Does anyone have some water? I can taste eggs again."

Opal hid a grin behind her hand, and I stuck my tongue out at her. Sydney pulled a waterskin out of her bag and handed it to me. "Thank you," I said, and rinsed my mouth. Then I took a long drink.

"You can keep that, by the way," said Sydney, and I laughed.

My stomach gave a slight rumble. I rolled my eyes. "You want _more_?" I asked, glancing down. "After you rejected what I gave you earlier?"

This time, we all laughed.

"Here," said Sydney, pulling out a wrapped parcel. "This is probably going to be what you need most right now." She handed it to me, and I opened it to see a thick cut of red meat. It was still warm.

"Thank you," I said.

"No problem," replied Sydney. "You've been all but starving for two months, you need iron and protein – and a good bit of fat, too."

I nodded and bit into the meat. As we continued down the stairs, Sydney said, "That reminds me. Did you ever menstruate again after that time in Coffinwell?"

"Yes," I said. "Once in Wormwood Creek, and then once again about a month after I was taken to the Goretress. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," said Sydney. "I was wondering whether it had continued."

But as I returned my attention to the meat, I saw Sydney regarding me oddly. She seemed to be thinking about something. I noticed her lips moving slightly, as though she were counting or talking to herself.

"A month after you were taken to the Goretress," she murmured. "So about a month ago?"

I nodded, swallowing. The meat was already half-gone. "Yes," I said. "Why?"

She didn't directly answer my question. "And you've never thrown up before," she said.

I nodded again. "I thought I had already said that."

Sydney's brows drew together, and she looked at me for a moment. Her eyes flickered briefly to Connor. Then I heard her whisper, "Oh…_Almighty_!"

"_What_!?" I asked, now desperate to discover what it was she was going on about.

"Good news is," Sydney said, "I don't think you're ill."

"'Good news'," I said. "Meaning that there is bad news as well?"

"That depends on how you look at it," Sydney said, fingering her rosary as she always did when she was nervous. "You're not sick. I think…"

She bit her lip and swallowed.

"I think you're pregnant."


	25. Chapter 25

_"I think you're pregnant."_

* * *

><p>There was a long moment where each of us was silent. I looked from Sydney to my stomach, then to Connor. His eyes moved to meet mine. There were a number of emotions therein, but chief among them was shock.<p>

My own shock was slowly beginning to be replaced by joy. A small smile touched the corners of my lips.

"Um," came Opal's voice. I nearly did not hear it. She was much quieter than usual. We all glanced over at her.

Her eyes flitted to each of us. "I'm not sure that's even physically possible?" she said, her tone turning the statement into a question. "And even if it is…to get pregnant, don't you have to, you know…well, _you know_?"

I glanced at Connor briefly. His shock seemed to be fading, as well. Now he looked a bit embarrassed. I supposed it was because of what Opal had said. I looked back at her.

We could all tell when she understood. "_Oh_!" she said, looking from me to Connor. "_That's _where you went on our way back to Alltrades!?"

I gave a very small nod. Opal's reaction was not quite readable. It seemed to be a mixture of shock, disgust, and an _I knew it!_ triumph.

Then I thought of something. "And how did you know?" I asked, rounding on Sydney. Her fingers began rubbing the rosary at double speed, and it occurred to me that if she did not break that habit, she would end up rubbing off the designs carved into the metal.

"I didn't mean to find out," she said. "After we found you in Wormwood Creek, I was checking to see if you'd broken anything, trying to treat your injuries. And – please, _please_ don't judge me! – I, well, I got curious, medically and theologically speaking."

Heat rose to my cheeks as I got her meaning. Sydney continued speaking, tripping over her words in her haste.

"I swear I wasn't trying to pry, and I fell awful about it, but I was really curious! And – you know anatomy, you know what this is – I realised that your hymen was broken, and I remembered that you two weren't on board, and… I'm really sorry."

I could not think of an appropriate response to that. My brain was still too full of the idea of having a child growing inside of me. _My _child. My child and Connor's.

Opal seemed to be struggling with all of this. "But," she said, "if she'd gotten pregnant then…if you'd gotten pregnant then, you would have known by now, right? I mean, it's been over two months since then! And you said you menstruated again. You don't menstruate while you're pregnant, do you?"

She did _not_ seem comfortable talking about this.

"No, you don't," Sydney said. She fixed Connor and me with a look. "You two did it again, didn't you? While you said you were sleeping, if I'm right."

I flushed. Connor shifted beside me. "But no one would be able to know this soon," he said. "I know pretty much nothing about this, but it was either a few hours ago or two months ago. That…that doesn't make sense."

"He is right," I agreed, remembering something I had read while at Swinedimples. "People do not feel anything straight away." Strangely, my heart sank when I remembered this. It was silly. I was upset about something I had never really had…

"Some people do," Sydney said, and I perked up.

This was ridiculous. I was a Celestrian, for Almighty's sake! I could not be pregnant! And yet…I was. I found myself very happy about the idea.

"So I am pregnant," I murmured, testing out how that felt. I smiled at the sound, and looked at Connor. After a second, he smiled, too.

"With a freakish half-breed kid," Connor said. I tried to glare at him for a moment, but it did not work. I knew he was teasing. And I had to laugh.

"Yes," I agreed. "Our little freak." I sighed, smiling. "What a child – half-mortal, half-Celestrian."

"Real special," said Opal.

And suddenly, we went from a group of friends in shock to a family of sorts. A mother- and father-to-be. Two aunts-to-be. And one little baby, preparing itself to come out and meet us. With the hand that was not holding Connor's, I reached out and took Sydney's. She took Opal's. And Opal took Connor's free hand, completing our circle. The four of us looked at one another and smiled. Then the circle collapsed inwards, and we were hugging one another.

It was then that I very suddenly remembered why it was we had been going down the stairs in the first place. All that had happened had completely driven the thought from my mind.

"We need to speak with Apus Major," I said, pulling back from the hug. "I completely forgot."

"Right," said Sydney. "Me, too." She squeezed my hand and smiled. "Let's go, then."

/\*/\

"So, Zera, you are returned," said Apus Major. "We give great thanks for your heroic rescue of so many of your captive brethren. Now, you must tell me of all the goings-on in the lands of the Protectorate…"

We did so – with some strategic omissions, of course. The more we said, the greater the degree of shock upon Apus Major's face grew. When we finally finished, he leant back in his chair, eyes wandering as though deep in thought.

"So the Gittish Empire ravages the lands of the Protectorate once more…" he murmured. Then he fixed his gaze upon me. "You are too young to remember, but the Gittish Empire was an evil dominion that fell into ruin centuries ago. Its denizens sought supremacy over the Protectorate, but were destroyed by their unquenchable thirst for power."

Slowly, he rose and approached me. "…Zera," he said. "You spoke before of Aquila's betrayal, and the theft of the fyggs…" He gestured. To my shock, a golden glow appeared between us, resolving into the form of the seven fyggs.

"But behold, the fyggs are here, returned to the sacred bastion of the Observatory," Apus Major said. "And by none other than Aquila himself."

As I traded shocked looks with my companions, Apus Major began a vision-telling of Aquila's return of the fyggs. My sight was replaced by Apus Major's memory.

Aquila kneeled where I had stood (or would stand, later). I felt a rush of anger as I took in his face and heard his voice: "My lord, I bring you the lost fyggs in Zera's stead."

He held out the seven fruits. _Thief,_ I thought scathingly. _Traitor!_

"The fyggs are restored to their rightful home," said Apus Major's voice, seemingly from my own mouth. I did not like that part of vision-tellings. It was unnerving to feel yourself move when you did not will it. "You have our deepest gratitude, Aquila. But it was Zera to whom I entrusted their retrieval. Why is it you who returns them to us?"

"Zera and I were reunited in the Protectorate," Aquila said, "and resolved to work together to seek out the fyggs. We roamed the land separately, eventually locating all seven of them. Alas, we were separated during our return to the Observatory. Surely, though, she will return ere long."

_A traitor _and _a liar!_ I thought angrily. But I could do nothing about my anger at this time. My mouth had begun to move again, saying Apus Major's words.

"Hmm… What can have become of her, I wonder…"

Aquila handed me – no, Apus Major – the fyggs. Like a phantom heat, I could feel their presence in my arms. "Aquila, truly you have done well," said Apus Major. "Now, perhaps peace can finally return to the Protectorate."

The words came out tasting much like vinegar.

"Thank you, my lord," replied Aquila. "And now, if I may, I will take my leave." He bowed and turned to go.

"You do not await the return of your apprentice, Aquila?" asked Apus Major.

Without turning, Aquila replied, "I fear not, my lord. I have business that must be attended to."

_You always do,_ I thought. Aquila turned to look at me. _No._ To look at Apus Major. I needed to keep that in mind…

"My lord…" he said. "I pray that Zera will be safe in your care. Farewell…"

As he left, my vision came back to the present. I shook my head, attempting to rid myself of the feeling of helplessness that came of not being able to control your own limbs. I _hated_ that feeling.

"Aquila returned the fyggs unto us," said Apus Major, turning to the side. "This surely is not the act of a traitor." He turned and began to pace. "But Zera, you are pure of heart, and have nothing to gain from bearing false witness. What can this mean?"

For a moment, he paced in silence. Then he turned to look back at me. "I can make little sense of it." He sighed.

"Zera, Celestrian and Guardian…" he said. "We of the Observatory have a teaching: 'Fyggbloom hails the opening of the Heavenly Gates, and sets the Celestrians on the path to salvation."

"And lo, it shall be in the celestial carriage that we, the chosen custodians, journey to the Realm of the Almighty'," I finished quickly. "What of it?"

"All of the fyggs are returned to the Observatory," Apus Major said. "It is time. Let us seek out the Realm of the Almighty! We cannot know the extent of the teaching's truth… But we must have faith. If the Almighty Himself is to be found there, surely we are saved. Zera, you and your companions will journey with me to the Realm of the Almighty!"

I heard a gasp from beside me, and turned just in time to see Sydney slump to the floor in a dead faint. "Oh, no," I said, trying not to laugh as I kneeled down to help her. "Why am I surprised by this?"

"Dunno," said Opal. She grinned. "I wouldn't think there'd be much left that could surprise you."

I gave her a look. There was a reason I had omitted everything about Connor and myself, and the baby. I did not want Apus Major to know about it!

Sydney seemed to be coming around. She blinked once, and we helped her to sit up. "Please tell me that I didn't imagine that," she requested. "The…the Realm of the Almighty?"

"Yep," Connor said. "Don't faint again!"

Sydney reddened. "Sorry," she said. "It's just…_oh_!" A joyous smile spread across her face.

I had to smile, as well. She _was_ a priest, after all. Little wonder she had fainted at the idea of visiting the Realm of the Almighty!

We helped her up and turned to Apus Major. He quickly looked away to hide the fact that he had been staring at us.

"The Observatory was struck by an ill-omened light," he said, "and the Protectorate suffers the resurrection of an evil empire… We cannot know what fate has befallen the Realm of the Almighty." He looked back to us. "I may have need of your aid. Come, let us make haste. I shall await you at the Starflight Express. Make good your preparations and join me there forthwith."

He left, accompanied by one of his guards. The four of us looked around at one another.

"Shall we?" I asked, gesturing towards the door.

Opal grinned. "Do you even have to ask?"

We headed towards the door. But before we reached it, I heard a voice from behind me: "Zera!"

I turned to see that Columba had come up the stairs. She hurried towards me. "Did something occur between you and Aquila, Zera?" she asked, reaching us. "He came here to deliver the fyggs to Apus Major several months ago. He spoke strangely… He said that he was no longer worthy of calling himself your teacher… If you have fought over something, please, for my sake, you must heal the rift. He was ever wont to brood so…"

There was genuine concern in her voice and face. I could not bring myself to tell her of Aquila's betrayal. She was close to him – closer than anyone else.

But _I_ was bitter against him. He had betrayed me, and her, and everyone else.

"He was right," I said, and my voice came out harder than I meant it to. "He is no longer worthy. I am sorry, Columba…but I cannot bring myself to heal the rift he tore between us."

Then I turned away, hiding the tears that sprang to my eyes as I exited the room. Connor rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Half a century," I said. "Nearly half a century I trained under that traitor. He was the closest thing I had to a friend…to a father. If I ever do find him…I am going to kill him." Then I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to keep the tears contained.

And we headed up the stairs to the Starflight Express.

"You are here, Zera," said Apus Major. "Good. Now, let us journey to the Realm of the Almighty aboard the celestial carriage."

_Oh, good,_ I thought. _I was afraid that I would have to walk!_

As I moved over the door of the train, Apus Major said, "Ah. But before we do so, there is something I wish you to confirm for me."

I turned and looked at him.

"Aquila attacked you, and stole from you the fyggs. You are certain of this."

"Yes!" I said angrily. "I have told you already. You accepted my testimony! Why must you question me again?"

Apus Major looked at me for a long moment. Then, sighing, he said, "I know not why he would do such a thing…"

"Because he is a traitor," I said. "He is working for the Empire."

"Yet when he gained possession of the sacred fruits, he delivered them faithfully to me," said Apus Major calmly. "Such is not the act of an Imperial pawn. Whatever his motive, I know that his intentions are good. I trust in him as I trust in you, Zera."

"You trust blindly," I said. But I could say no more. The laws of the Celestrians forbade it. So, sighing, I looked down at Connor's hand, entwined with mine, and attempted to calm myself.

After an appropriate pause, Apus Major said, "Now… The fyggs are all recovered. If it is as the teachings say, we will at last be able to travel to the Realm of the Almighty. Should we be able to gain an audience with the Almighty, I must beg for the deliverance of our world from the evil that besets it. The prospect makes me a little uneasy…" He looked at me. "Zera, board the celestial carriage. I will join you shortly."

I boarded the Starflight, accompanied by Connor, Opal, and Sydney. Stella fluttered over to us. "So, off to the Realm of the Almighty, eh?" she asked. "Shall I pack my swimsuit? I've heard it's paradise. A tropical paradise, I hope…"

Oddly, Stella's prattle put me in a better mood. Usually it did just the opposite. But it made me smile this time. "I hope so, as well," I said. "I hate the cold."

"What's up, Zera?" asked Sterling, looking at us. "'Ave you bin an' 'ad a chat wiv Apus Major about everyfink that's been goin' on or somefink?"

"Yes," I said. "We need to deliver the fyggs to the Realm of the Almighty."

"Sure fing, Zera, I'll get on it," said Sterling conversationally, and I held in a laugh as he turned to the controls. I asked that he take us to the Realm of the Almighty, and he acquiesced as though I had merely requested that he bring a bit of meat for supper!

The others seemed just as amused. "'Sure thing', he says," said Connor, rolling his eyes.

"That's old fatguts for you," said Stella, keeping her voice low. I supposed she did not feel like being chewed out again for calling Sterling 'fatguts'. "Confidant to a fall if you ask me."

We all looked around as footsteps heralded Apus Major's arrival aboard the train. "Hmm, so this is the Starflight Express," he murmured. Seeing all of us staring, he said, "Please, forgive my intrusion."

He stared around, taking everything in. "It is bathed in the same golden glow that envelops the fruits of the Great World Tree. This is truly a creation of the Almighty."

In my ear, Stella half-whispered, "Who's this old fuddery-duddery, Zera?"

She was not quiet enough. Her loud whisper attracted Apus Major's attention, and he hurried over to her.

"Ah!" he said. "You are the sainted stewardess of the Starflight Express, are you not?"

Stella nodded, giving her hair a small flip.

"I am Apus Major, keeper of the Observatory. It is an honour." Turning to Sterling, he asked, "And this is…?"

"Sterling's the name, sir," replied Sterling. "Captain and chief engineer of the Starflight Express, and one of Zera's closest comrades!"

I smiled, and Apus Major gave a small bow. "Excellent, excellent," he said. "Well, Captain Sterling, I have a favour to ask of you. The unstinting efforts of Zera and her companions have brought the fyggs back to the Observatory. Now the prophecy must be fulfilled. You must deliver us to the Realm of the Almighty aboard the celestial carriage."

Sterling looked off, thinking. "Well, sir," he said slowly, "the Almighty did once tell me somefing. 'When them fyggs 'ave finally bloomed, you bring them Celestrians up 'ere to the Realm of the Almighty', or words to that effect."

I smiled as I imagined the Almighty speaking like Sterling. Perhaps it was a bit blasphemous, but I could tell that everyone else – well, excepting Apus Major and Sterling – were imagining the same.

"An' I ain't no genius," Sterling continued, "but I reckon this must be wot that spiel was all about." He brought his gaze back to look at Apus Major. "So you just leave it to me, sir. Sit back an' make yerself at 'ome."

He turned to the console and began pressing buttons. "Next stop, the Realm of the Almighty!" He pushed a lever, and the inside of the Starflight began to glow white-gold.

"My goodness," said Apus Major, "the Starflight Express, it's…"

We rounded the Observatory twice, gaining speed with each metre we travelled. Then we shot up, and I could tell that we were flying much faster than before. Apus Major was staring out the window in amazement.

"Incredible…" he said. "The Observatory is a mere speck below us already. Truly, this is the conveyance of the gods."

He turned to Sterling. "Captain Sterling, does your command of the Express span many years?"

Sterling seemed to enjoy being called "captain". He swelled with visible pride and said, "I've been at the 'elm since the very day the Almighty put 'er into action, sir! It's been a while now."

"Blimey," muttered Stella, "so old fatguts is even more ancient than I thought…"

Sterling whipped around, fist clenched. Stella was not the only one to reel backwards. "Shut it, you!" he bellowed. "I ain't ancient, and I ain't no fatguts, neither! I'm the captain, got it? Captain!"

The five of us traded glances in various shades of amusement and shock as Sterling turned back to the console. Apus Major was clearly surprised by the outburst.

Sterling pushed one of the levers all the way up. When it reached the far end, the Starflight began to pulse in a rainbow of colours, and we doubled our speed at the least. Apus Major and Stella, with the benefit of wings, did not seem troubled, nor did Sterling, but the rest of us stumbled and fell to the back of the carriage as gravity suddenly seemed to increase by a large amount.

"Amazing!" exclaimed Apus Major, staring out the window. I hauled myself over to look out the window nearest me, and gasped in shock. Several large, grass-covered islands floated there in the blue sky, connected by bridges of light and rainbow. The largest, topmost island was occupied by a temple of sky blue, white, and gold. It was beautiful!

I felt a hint of nausea, but fortunately this time I did not throw up. I could not imagine how embarrassing it would be to get morning sickness in front of the leader of the Celestrians!

We slowed as we looped once around the Realm of the Almighty. Finally, we pulled up and stopped before the lowest of the islands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now arriving at the Realm of the Almighty," said Sterling. "All change!"

"At long last," murmured Apus Major. "My most fervent prayers are finally to be answered."

We poor wingless ones in the back of the carriage had managed to pull ourselves upright. Sydney was staring eagerly out the window, her face shining. I could see that she was itching to go out there.

"Follow me, sir," said Sterling, sliding open the door and taking his leave. Apus Major hurried after him as the remainder of us watched them go.

"I suppose we ought to tag along too, eh?" asked Stella. "Don't want to be left behind like a bunch of melons, do we?"

"Definitely not," said Sydney, and she hurried out the door. It struck me how much her eagerness resembled that of Apus Major, and I smiled as I followed her out.

Once outside of the Starflight, I could feel the pleasant warmth of the Realm of the Almighty. A gentle breeze blew, and I took a quick step away from the edge of the island. We were even farther up than the cliff edge in my nightmares!

"Such holiness…" murmured Apus Major. "Such beauty… Truly, this could only be the Realm of the Almighty." He looked at me. "Zera. Etch these sacred sights into your memory. We know not when we may tread this hallowed ground again."

There was a long pause as every one of those who had travelled in the Starflight stared around, taking in the beauty of the islands. Pools of crystal-clear water sparkled on several. Brightly coloured birds sang in the trees, mixing their music with that of the breeze and a waterfall on one of the islands above us. Nothing shone, for nothing needed to. It was simply there, incredibly, impossibly, beautifully _real_.

It was a long time before Apus Major pulled his eyes away from the scenery and said, "Now, we must offer the fyggs unto the Almighty. Where might He be found, I wonder?"

"The temple's straight up there in front of us," Sterling said. "If 'E's anywhere, the Almighty'll be up there."

The seven of us began up the path of light that led up towards the Almighty's temple. But on one of the islands, our path was blocked by a blue door, inlaid with gold. An inscription upon it read _Only the pure shall pass_.

My heart sank at the words. I was not pure. No one was, not even Opal or Apus Major. I was pregnant, Connor was the father, Sydney had been a thief…we were all guilty. None of us would pass this point.

But then, to the utter shock of all who stood before it, the door swung open. A voice said, _"Pass, pure-hearted ones. Go to your god." _

It was impossible. Yet it was true. Somehow, each of us had been forgiven our iniquities. A smile spread across my face, and I took Connor's hand as we continued travelling through the Realm of the Almighty.

At the doors of the palace, we stopped for a moment. "So herein dwells the Almighty…" murmured Apus Major. "Finally, my prayers of countless millennia are answered. Finally, we shall meet…"

Hesitantly, I laid my hand upon the cool marble of the doors. At my touch, they opened inwards, and we walked into the throne room of the Almighty.

And there we stopped, gazing on in shock. A dark crack spanned the marble floor, leading up to an enormous hole. A throne lay on its side next to the hole, as though it had been flung aside.

"Wh-What is the meaning of this?" stuttered Apus Major.

"What's gone on 'ere?" exclaimed Sterling. "The temple's smashed to bits!"

As we stared around in growing horror, I realised that that was not an exaggeration. Myriad tiny cracks spanned out from the main one, crisscrossing the floor in a spiderweb pattern. The elegant carvings along the wall were damaged, the walls were chipped, dented, and scraped, and there was a sense of terrible wrong filling the room.

"What has befallen this place?" Apus Major asked of the world in general. "What has become of the Almighty?" He stepped forward and looked up. "This rupture… It cannot be… Surely the light which ravaged our own realm cannot have penetrated so far…?"

I could hear the desperation in his voice as he cried, "O, Almighty One! Heed my call! Where art Thou? Hast Thou forsaken us?"

When there was no reply, Apus Major's head drooped. "Almighty One!"

He sighed. "What can have become of Him? Why does He not heed my call?"

_Because He is not a trained dog,_ I thought, and had to bite down on my lip. This was a very inappropriate time!

"Ooh, I've got a nasty feeling about this," Stella muttered. "We should never have come to this flapping place…"

"Wot the bleedin' 'eck's 'appened 'ere? Wot kind of toerag'd do a fing like this, eh?" Sterling gave a sigh that sounded more than a little like a growl. "Any'ow, we'd best 'ead inside and see if the Almighty's in there." He pointed up a set of stairs to the left of the throne. There was a matching staircase to the right, but to get to those we would have to climb over the throne and the hole in the floor.

I took Connor's hand as we clambered around the destroyed dais and up the stairs. At the top was an area with sky-blue walls and grass as the floor. The sense of wrong that had occupied the floor below vanished as we reached the top of the stairs. To the northern end was a raised space, lit by a soft golden light.

"Truly, it is a sublime light that shines here," said Apus Major, and Connor and I both turned to look as Apus Major and the others reached us. "Perhaps this is where we must make an offering of the heavenly fruit. Zera, my child, you must offer up the fyggs."

"Why me?" I asked as he handed me the fyggs. Their soft, warm weight felt familiar in my arms. It made me wonder if my child would feel like this when I finally got to hold it…

Apus Major did not expressly reply to my question, except with a long, slow blink. Then he said, "Now, make the offering."

I knew it would be no good trying to argue. So I turned and walked up to the centre of the dais. The glow was warm, and it reminded me of the light that had enveloped me when my vocation changed. I glanced back at Apus Major and the others. Apus Major nodded, and I turned back, lifting the fyggs into the air. They began to glow as if infused with the light of the dais.

"O, Almighty One!" cried Apus Major. "Take these divine fruits we offer unto You!"

At that moment, the fyggs vanished. But nothing else occurred.

After a long pause, Apus Major said, "We offer up the fyggs and still nothing. Still our call is not heeded. What can this mean?"

_"…Zera, Celestrian and Guardian…"_ came a soft, halting voice. My eyes widened as I recognised it. This was the voice which had spoken to us atop the Observatory, and when my vocation changed. It had a comforting familiarity about it. The only comparison I could imagine was the voice of a mother.

_"…And Apus, keeper of the Observatory… Canst thou hear my voice…?"_

I looked up and around for the source of the voice. Out of the corners of my eyes, I noticed everyone else doing the same.

"Is this the voice of the Almighty?" murmured Apus Major.

I did not think it could be. This voice was feminine, gentle. Recalling the dream I had had at Yggdrasil's foot, it sounded to me more like the voice of she who had pleaded for the mortals.

The next words confirmed it for me. _"…Alas, I am not the one whom you Celestrians call 'Almighty'… Benevolessence born of pure mortal hearts caused fyggs to bloom on Yggdrasil's sacred boughs, and the celestial express to find this realm… And now, Zera, you and your companions have returned the fyggs to the Realm of the Almighty… And so I am awakened from my slumber of countless aeons… Now return to me, my Celestrian children…" _

A golden light enveloped me, blocking everything else from my sight. When it vanished, I looked in shock to see that I stood at Yggdrasil's foot. She had a soft glow about Her.

"Wh – Eh?" squawked Stella. "Are we back at the Observatory?"

"What is this light that bathes mighty Yggdrasil?" asked Apus Major. All seven of us traded glances, then looked back at the Tree. Her glow grew brighter.

_"Welcome home, my Celestrian children…" _said the voice, and in Yggdrasil's branches appeared a beautiful woman with long, flowing golden hair. My eyes widened, and I felt a rush of recognition as I looked at her. Something else flowed through me, too.

Love.

Not the kind that I felt for Connor, nor that for my unborn child or my friends. This was an entirely different kind – a gentle, reliant kind. The kind that a child would feel for a mother.

_"…I am she whom you have heretofore known as Yggdrasil…" _she said. _"…I am the only daughter of the Almighty Himself, the Grand Architect Zenus. I am the Goddess Celestria…"_

"…Wh – My…" whispered Apus Major. "Can this be…?"

_"…My dear Celestrians." _said Celestria…_Mother. "Long have you tended to the Protectorate and offered me the benevolessence you gathered there… And your diligent efforts have finally returned me to consciousness… You have my deepest gratitude…"_

She looked down, directly at me. I was transfixed – not by her beauty, but by the love in her eyes. I had never seen the like of it before.

_"…And you, Zera…" _she said. _"You and your beloved friends retrieved the fyggs, which we had though found, but which were lost once more… We are eternally in your debt…"_

"Lady Celestria –" said Apus Major – "I hope I may address You so – what can have led to Your transformation into Mighty Yggdrasil?"

Mother looked down and closed her eyes. _"…I did so to protect the mortals and their realm…"_

It was! It_ had_ been Mother who had spoken in my dream, protecting the mortals from her father's fury. She opened her eyes amid gasps from her assumed form's foot.

_"…My father believed the mortals a flawed creation, and resolved to erase them from existence…"_

As she spoke, her form, Yggdrasil, and all that was around me was replaced by something else: The throne room of the Almighty's temple. But it was whole. A Being sat in the throne, so powerful that I could scarcely bear to look at Him. I knew immediately that this was the Almighty. Standing before Him, looking rather pale and unreal in comparison, was Mother.

"…Yea, the mortals are not fit to inhabit my Kingdom," said the Almighty, in a powerful voice to match His appearance and position. He raised an arm, and a red light began to form about His hand. I recognised it immediately as the light which had attempted to destroy the Protectorate in my dream. "They are an abomination. From dust they came, and to dust I shall return them."

He let loose with the red light, and I saw again the scene where the red light was intercepted by the blue just above the waters. "I beg of you!" cried Mother's voice. "Stay your hand!"

My sight returned to the Almighty's throne room. "Wherefore do you defy me?" boomed Zenus, and a thought flashed through my mind: _I am truly beginning to like the word _defy_! _"What cause have you to give them succour?"

Mother looked from the door to her Father. "Father," she said, "I – I have faith in the mortals. You cannot – you must not – lay waste to their realm… I beg of thee…"

"You dare question my will?" Zenus boomed. "You dare obstruct my purpose?"

I heard a number of shocked gasps as Mother's form began to glow. Mine was among them.

"Celestria!" cried Zenus. "What is this insolence!?"

Leaves and branches began to sprout from Mother's back. Within moments, she had transformed into Yggdrasil, glowing golden. Her torso and face were still visible in the trunk, but that was all.

"If it be the only way to save mortalkind," said Mother, "I shall take on this form… I shall become Yggdrasil, the World Tree. My body shall be restored only when the good that lies within mortal hearts is proven… There is purity in the mortal soul… There is good… I will prove this to you, though it cost me my freedom…"

"Impetuous child!" roared Zenus. "You know not what foolishness you contemplate, Celestria! If no such proof should present itself, you will be cursed to eternal slumber!"

The trunk of the Tree closed in around Mother's form.

"My child," Zenus murmured, looking both shocked and saddened. "What have you done?"

There was a pause. Then Zenus said, "…So be it. Your rashness has stayed my hand. The mortals shall live."

I gave a silent cheer.

"Let there be beings to serve your purpose. Let these beings stand ever-vigilant over mortalkind, awaiting proof of the purity within…"

He looked sadly at the Tree that had moments before been Mother. "But know this, Celestria: The day of your awakening may never come…"

As my sight returned to the current moment at the foot of Yggdrasil, I looked around at the others. My mortal companions were looking on in shock and amazement, a sentiment that Apus Major, Sterling, and Stella all seemed to share. I took Connor's hand as Mother began to speak.

_"…The benevolessence you gathered was the very proof of mortal purity I had awaited… I assumed the form of Yggdrasil to persuade my father of the goodness within the mortal heart… When benevolessence was offered unto me, in time, the fyggs would bloom… And when the fyggs were delivered to the Realm of the Almighty, I would awaken once more… Zenus created the Observatory and you, my Celestrian children, to serve me… To watch over the mortals… To gather benevolessence… to offer it unto me… To gather the fyggs that would one day bloom, and by their power, to awaken me from my slumber…"_

"So this has been our calling all along…" murmured Apus Major. "But…what of the Almighty Himself? Could He be…? The ill-omened light that struck our realm, and His also… Is He in fact…?"

Mother smiled, and her glow grew to envelop the entirety of the Observatory. _"…Fear not,"_ she said. _"Had my father ceased to be, I too would have passed on to another realm, and this world would have ceased to exist… He is somewhere, though He is not to be found in the Realm of the Almighty…"_

She looked down at us, growing serious. _"…My Celestrian children…"_ she said. _"There is something I must convey to you… The light that violated the Realm of the Almighty… The being from whence it came… He wishes to destroy our world… It is he who brought the Empire back from the forgotten reaches of time… His hatred emanates from the palace at its heart…" _

Her gaze came to rest on me. _"…Zera, Celestrian and Guardian… You and your companions must journey together to the heart of the Gittish Empire and deliver mortalkind from the evil that dwells therein…"_

She closed her eyes, clasping her hands before her chest. _"I shall open the way before you…"_

Over my view of Mother and the Tree, I glimpsed the land that had been blank upon Sydney's map. But now it was filled in, with the Goretress and a dark palace. A tree just like that by Alltrades Abbey bloomed into existence near to the palace.

_"This tree of purest blue shall guide you to the lands of the House of Gitt…"_ Mother said, and the overlay vanished. Mother's glow was increasing. _"…When the evil that lies at the heart of that land is quenched…the world will be…safe once more…"_

The glow faded, and Mother's form disappeared. Only her assumed shape stood before us. _"…Please, Zera… You must…deliver…the mortal realm…from evil…" _

The next words seemed to be only within my head. No one else seemed to have any reaction to them.

_I give you…my blessing…my beloved daughter…_

And then there was nothing.

There was a long silence. And then Stella said, "Flapping flip!"

We all jumped, and looked to her. "Well, who would have thought it! I'm all of a flutter after that!"

I let out a short, clipped laugh. "That is an understatement," I said.

There were grins from everyone but Apus Major. Stella shrugged. "Seems like everyone's accounting on us, eh?" she asked. "Well, we can't go cooking the books then. You'll have to get to work!"

"_We'll_ have to get to work?" asked Opal, raising her brows. "Are you gonna stay up here, then?"

Stella waved a hand, clearly at a loss for a comeback.

"So you're the only ones who can save the Protectorate and the Observatory from certain disaster, eh, treacle?" asked Sterling. "Well, you've only got the weight of two worlds on yer shoulders then, eh?" He laughed. "Don't let 'em get you down, will ya?"

"We'll try not to," said Sydney.

"Right, I'll be waitin' on the Starflight," Sterling said, turning. "We'll 'ead off when yer ready to rumble. See you in a bit!"

With that, he headed down.

I glanced over at Apus Major and found him staring, transfixed, at Yggdrasil. "Such tragedy…" he murmured. "Such benevolence… That the goddess Celestria should sacrifice herself to protect mortalkind… It is well indeed that we served the Great World Tree through all the millennia. She is more than a worthy mistress."

He turned to look at us. "But now, the mortal realm is in peril once more at the hands of the Gittish Empire. Only you are able to save them. You must go to Gittingham Palace and extinguish the threat at its source."

I nodded and, and we left.

As we headed towards the Starflight, I let my mind drift back to Mother. The love in her eyes had been something amazing to behold. It was unlike anything I had ever known someone to feel for me. And it had been wonderful.

"You're happy," said Connor.

I smiled. "Yes, I am," I said. "I just met my mother for the first time. Would you not be?"

Sydney seemed to think about that the most. "Yeah, I would," she said. "I can understand how you feel."

We stepped onto the Starflight and headed up to the front with Stella and Sterling. "So if you go to the Gittish Empire and get rid of the baddies there, the world will go back to normal again?" asked Stella.

"Apparently," I said. "No pressure, of course."

We all laughed.

"Well, it looks like you'd better get crackling then, eh?" asked Stella when we calmed down a bit. "You can't expect me and everyone else to wait around forever to be saved."

"You got one 'eck of a fight ahead of you, treacle," said Sterling. "The 'ole world's countin' on ya. Good luck, yeah? Right then, let's get down to business…"

"Wait," said Connor, as Sterling turned to the controls. "Not yet. I need to do something first."

"What?" I asked, as he looked at me.

Connor took both my hands. "Listen," he said. "I love you, Zera. I'm always going to. And I want to know…will you marry me?"

My breath rushed out in a huff as I registered what Connor had just said. There were several gasps from around me. Then several things happened.

One, I remembered one of the visions of Connor I had seen when my vocation changed. It had been this exact moment: Him standing before me upon the Starflight, holding my hands.

Two, I felt a rush of happiness as his words' full meaning crashed down upon me.

And three, I flung my arms around him and cried, "Yes!"

* * *

><p>Hello again, everyone.<p>

Looks like this is gonna be a pretty long day, huh? Gotten pregnant, fought pig-monster, freed Celestrians, gone to the Realm of the Almighty, found a mom, and gotten engaged - and all before noon! Phew!

Anyway, thanks for all the reviews recently. I can't believe that this many people have actually read my story! It seems crazy.

This chapter was a milestone for me: I've crossed the 300-page mark. Boy oh boy...!

Well, til next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	26. Chapter 26

_Connor took both my hands. "Listen," he said. "I love you, Zera. I'm always going to. And I want to know…will you marry me?"_

_...I flung my arms around him and cried, "Yes!" _

* * *

><p>It took about two seconds for Opal to begin cheering.<p>

"Alright!" she cheered. "I knew it was gonna happen!"

I looked over to see that her smile was even larger than mine. Sydney and Stella were smiling, as well, and even Sterling had a grin, big bear that he was. "Congratulations, treacle," he said.

"Thank you," I said, and looked back to Connor. Three girlish voices cried, "Kiss! Kiss!"

I could see the amusement in Connor's eyes, matching mine. "Shall we humour them?" I asked under my breath.

"I'm certainly not going to argue," Connor replied. So we kissed.

When we broke apart, I asked, "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"About a month and a half," Connor replied. "When you vanished, it was awful. I wasn't sure I was ever going to see you again. And I decided that if I did, I was going to make sure that you'd always be mine."

I smiled. "So it is nothing to do with the baby."

"Only a tiny bit," said Connor. Whatever else he may have said was interrupted as Stella exclaimed, "_Baby!?_"

I looked over at the faerie girl, feeling slightly guilty. "Ah, yes, I forgot to mention," I said, trying and failing to sound nonchalant. "I am a little bit, ah…pregnant?"

"And you didn't flapping tell me!?" exploded Stella. "Flapping flip, I miss just flapping everything, don't I? You kiss the mortal boy, you end up in prison, you get pregnant…why don't I just miss the flapping wedding too!?"

"Because I do not want you to?" I said, attempting to find some reason. "Stella, I am sorry!"

Stella was turned away, her arms folded. _Blast it_. Now I needed to make up with the faerie.

"Can I make it up to you?" I asked hesitantly. Stella did not turn back, and I glanced at Connor. He rolled his eyes, and I nodded with a smile.

"What if I let you be a bridesmaid?" I offered, grasping at things that might make her forgive me.

She turned slightly. "And?"

"And…" I was not sure what else. Then I thought of something and grinned. "What if I let you be a bridesmaid…and design the dresses?"

She immediately turned, grinning. "You've got yourself a deal!" she exclaimed. The light in her eyes worried me slightly, but I shook it off. Stella was my friend. If she went overboard, I could stop her. …At least, I was fairly certain I could.

"Zera," said Connor, and I looked at him. He whispered something in my ear, and I smiled. "That is an excellent idea," I said. We looked at Sydney. "Would you perform the ceremony?"

Sydney's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really," I said. "And I would like you to be my other bridesmaid, Opal."

Both girls beamed.

"So where to, treacle?" asked Sterling.

I looked at Connor. "I need to go to Stornway," he said. "Mam and Dad need to know. Besides, I never asked for their blessing. I'm too young to get married without it."

"Closest I can get ya is Alltrades Abbey," said Sterling. "'Ere we go, then!"

Soon after, Connor and were walking into his parents' house. A blonde-haired girl of about ten had answered, and been very excited when she had seen Connor. This was Annie, the older of his two sisters. She had a plain copper sword on her back.

"Mam!" Annie called. "Dad! Connor's here, and he brought a _girl_!"

"Annie!" said Connor, and Annie backed up a few paces, grinning.

"You wanna fight?" she asked. "I bet I could kick your butt by now!"

"Yeah, right," said Connor, grinning back. "I can just take that – whoops!" He had reached for Annie's sword and overbalanced. I grabbed and steadied him as Annie burst out in laughter.

"What's going on here?" asked a male voice. From upstairs came a man who could only be Connor's father. They had the same dark hair and slightly crooked teeth, exposed now in a grin. He reached out and got Annie in a headlock. "Are you beating up on your brother again?"

"I didn't have to," Annie replied. "He tripped!"

"I did not," argued Connor.

Just then, a woman followed down the stairs. She had straight blonde hair like Annie, and dark brown eyes. No doubt this was Connor's mother.

She embraced Connor and then looked at me. "So who's this pretty girl?" she asked. Her voice did not have the same lilt as those I was accustomed to here; it sounded more like the accent of one from Coffinwell.

I felt myself flush as Connor said, "Mam, Dad…Annie…this is Zera." From their expressions, I could tell that he had spoken of me to them before.

"Ah! The mystery girl finally arrives," said Connor's father, grinning. He held a hand out to me, letting Annie out of her headlock. "I'm Connor's father, Nathan."

I shook hands with him, and Connor's mother introduced herself as Maria.

"So what brings the two of you here?" asked Mrs Trumble, leading the way into the small parlour. Connor and I looked at each other. I shrugged ever so slightly. These were his parents. It was up to him to broach the subject.

We all sat, except for Annie. She had left after the introductions. I could hear her upstairs, sharpening the edge on her blade. It made interesting background noise to the conversation about to occur.

"Mam, Dad…" Connor said, clearly uncomfortable. "I…well, I… Zera and I want to get married."

Once he finally straightened out his tongue, everything came out very quickly.

Mr and Mrs Trumble looked at us for a long moment. "…I didn't think you were that serious," said Mr Trumble finally.

Mrs Trumble looked at him fondly. "Nathan," she said, "I love you, but you're blind as a bat." She looked back to Connor. "But why now?" she asked. "Can't the two of you wait?"

Ooh, here was something that would be fun to explain. _No, I am afraid we cannot wait. Why? Oh, because we have to go off and fight an ancient evil as soon as we can, and we do not want to take the chance that we may never be able to get married. And also because we got pregnant, despite the fact that I am a Celestrian and by all rights should not be able to conceive. But, you know, we could wait if you desire. _

"Because," I said, "both of us know that we will never love anyone else. What reason is there to wait?"

Mr and Mrs Trumble looked at one another for a long moment. Then they looked back at us. "What about Zera's parents?" asked Mr Trumble. "Have they given their blessing?"

I stiffened slightly. "My father and I had a falling-out some months ago," I said, trying and failing to keep my tone neutral. "We have not spoken since, nor do I have any desire to speak with him. But my mother gave me her blessing only a short time ago."

I saw Connor looking at me oddly out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored it. Mother had said _"'I give you my blessing'"_. How I chose to interpret that was my own business.

Both of Connor's parents hesitated. "If you're sure…" said Mr Trumble slowly.

"I'm sure," said Connor. At the same time, I responded, "I am certain."

Mr and Mrs Trumble looked at one another again. "If you're sure," said Mrs Trumble, "then I suppose it would be wrong for us to refuse. You have my blessing, Connor." She leaned forward and kissed him on his forehead.

"And mine as well," said Mr Trumble, putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

I felt bittersweet at this. Of course, I was overjoyed – Connor and I would be married! But I was also sad.

I wished that I could experience something like this – a family of my own. A mother, a father, siblings. I had Celestria, of course, whom even after this short time I loved as a child surely must love her mother. And Opal and Sydney were akin to sisters to me. But I would never have a family like Connor's. I would never have a mother and father with whom I could speak at any time.

"When do you two want to have the ceremony?" asked Mrs Trumble, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Um," said Connor. "As soon as possible, I think."

I nodded in agreement.

Mrs Trumble nodded. "And where?"

Oh. I had not thought about that, and I said as much. "But perhaps… Perhaps we ought to do it out by Loch Storn," I said. "I have only been there once, but it was quite pretty. It would be a lovely place for a wedding."

"It would," agreed Mrs Trumble.

Connor and Mr Trumble exchanged amused glances. "Was it like this for you when you were planning your wedding?" Connor asked.

Mr Trumble nodded. "As the groom, all you have to do is show up. The bride and bridesmaids do all the work."

"I am sorry," I said, smiling. "What do you think?"

As Connor opened his mouth to answer, there was a knock on the door. He rolled his eyes, and I laughed. Mrs Trumble went to answer it and returned trailed by Opal, Sydney, and Stella, who was complaining about nearly being shut out. I supposed that _would_ be a hazard of being invisible to mortals, though it had never been a problem for me in Angel Falls. People there left their doors open all day and night, all the year round.

"So?" asked Opal, bouncing.

I smiled. "If you have the designs ready, then we are all set."

"Alright!" cheered Opal and Stella in almost perfect synchronisation. Stella grabbed my arm. "You two are coming with me," she said. "We need you so we can get the designs just right!"

_Uh-oh,_ I thought amusedly. It seemed that Stella had taken it upon herself to design Connor's clothing, as well.

"What time do you think we ought to have the ceremony?" asked Sydney. "I can be ready anytime, but you two are going to need a bit, right? For vows and all that."

_Oh._ I had not thought about vows. "Yes," I said. "Perhaps we ought to go and get ready. A few hours should suffice, I think." I looked to Stella for confirmation. Fortunately, Opal was just next to her, so it did not look as though I were speaking to empty air.

"That should be plenty of time," said Stella, and Opal nodded.

"Alright," I said. I looked to Mr and Mrs Trumble. "Thank you so much," I said.

"Tell us when the time comes" was Mrs Trumble's answer.

"We will, Mam," said Connor. "Love you."

He embraced both his parents, and we left the house.

"Come on, you two," said Stella the instant the door closed. "Opal and I are going to make the most amazing wedding outfits in history!"

"Uh-oh," said Connor, grinning.

"Have a little confidence!" said Opal. "It'll be great. Just neither of you open your eyes. You –" she pointed at Connor – "are not supposed to see Zera in the dress before the wedding. And I don't want her seeing you, either!"

"Even more encouraging," I said, rolling my eyes but smiling.

The two of them pulled us away as Sydney headed in another direction. I supposed she was going to learn what it was she needed to say for the ceremony.

We stopped inside Opal's room at the Quester's Rest. Stella tied a blindfold around my head and around Connor's, despite our protests. It was clear that she was enjoying the power that I had given to her.

"Now," said Opal, "what were you thinking, Stella?"

"I've got it all drawn out," Stella replied.

There was a brief silence, and then Opal said, "That looks pretty good. But maybe…what if we made it a little more fitted right through here?"

"That could work," agreed Stella. "Do you have the cloth?"

"No," said Opal. "I have a faster idea. Connor, Zera, you two are going to need to be in your underwear if this is going to work properly."

I stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Just pretend we're not here," said Stella.

"How!?" asked Connor. "You're going to be talking the whole time!"

"Then just pretend you're in swimsuits or something," said Opal. "Do you want wedding clothes or not?"

So, reluctantly, I shed my overclothes. Then I stood there, feeling rather exposed in just my strapless brassiere and underwear.

"Ready?" asked Stella.

I began to answer, but Opal spoke first. The question had probably been directed at her, anyway. "Ready."

"Alright then!" cheered Stella. "Let's get this fiesta started!"

As the two girls talked, I felt soft, cool cloth settle in around me. Its pattern would change slightly as one or the other had an idea, but it always stayed in the general form of a long, strapless dress.

I could hear them talking through Connor's outfit, too. But they were clearly only suggesting changes to the drawings, for I was unable to figure out what it was our clothing was going to look like.

Finally, half an hour later, they were finished. "Take them off and put your regular clothes back on," commanded Stella. "And don't touch those blindfolds til we tell you to! You're not going to catch a peek of what we've done until it's time to get ready."

We obeyed, not bothering to argue. When Opal and Stella had cleared out our clothing, they gave permission for us to take off the blindfolds. I had to blink for a moment before my eyes readjusted.

"Who's ready for a wedding?" asked Opal, beaming.

"Um," I said. I had thought about the vows the entire time I had been blindfolded, but none of it seemed quite right. I sincerely hoped that things would come out right when it came time. "I am ready when everyone else is."

"Excellent!" said Stella. "Connor, go get Sydney and tell her that we're ready. Zera, you stay here. It's hair-and-made-up time!"

Connor and I looked at each other. "Good luck," he said.

I grinned. "I will need it!"

He left. The three of us who remained in the room moved into the bathroom to prepare ourselves.

Opal took off her turban, and both of us took our hair down. Opal's hair was very kinky when it was not restrained or straightened. It fit her bouncy, cheerful personality, I thought.

"Maybe we should twist it into buns," suggested Stella. She did so with her curly blonde locks, leaving several to bounce around her face.

Opal tried the same, but shook her head. "It's a simple, outdoor wedding," she said. "Maybe we should leave the hair simple, too." She let her hair fall and combed it back into place. "Like this."

"I like that," I offered, not certain if this was bridesmaid territory or not.

"Well, you're the bride," said Stella. I smiled at those words. Stella let go of her hair and reached for the brush. We each combed through our hair, smoothing out the flyaways and taking out knots. Then we helped one another apply a small amount of makeup.

"Now," said Opal, smiling. "It's time for the dresses!"

We left the bathroom. Opal retrieved three bags from under the bed and pulled out the dresses.

Two were blue halter-topped numbers with a slim green belt across the waists. They were both small, clearly made to fit Opal and Stella's small, skinny frames.

The third was sleeveless and plain white. It was longer than the others, in both the bodice and the skirt. There was no belt to define the waist, but the bodice was clearly fitted. A small, white cloth flower rested on the skirt.

We slipped into the dresses, and I sighed at the feel of the soft fabric against my skin. The dress was fitted through the hips, and made in such a way that when I looked in the mirror, I could see no hint of the weight I had lost during the two months in the Goretress.

Stella's and Opal's dresses looked lovely on them, as well. Opal picked up the flower from where I had set it on the bed and reached up to tuck it behind my right ear. "There," she said. "Perfect."

The three of us looked in the mirror. Each of us had a smile upon our faces.

Then I heard feet coming up the stairs. "Shoot!" Opal yelped. "Zera, get in the bathroom and close the door. Connor can't see the dress yet!"

I hurried to do so. Like them, I knew the superstition of it being bad luck for the groom to see the bride in the dress before the wedding.

The door to the room opened, and I heard several voices. Then footsteps left the room, and the door closed.

"We're good!" called Stella. I exited the bathroom, enjoying the feeling that my skirt made. It billowed out slightly behind me in a way that I found quite pleasing.

"This is great!" said Opal, pulling me into a hug. "I can't believe you're getting married! It's just so awesome!"

I smiled. "It truly is."

A short time later, I stood off the path leading to Loch Storn. Connor already stood inside of the cliffs. His parents, his sisters, Erinn, Patty, Simona, and her parents sat inside with him.

"Ready?" asked Stella, looking at me.

"I am ready," I replied.

Opal grinned. "Let's go, then!" she said, taking the arm of the man Connor had chosen as his groomsman: Sensei Michael, his martial arts teacher. Stella preceded the two of them in.

"Come on, treacle," said Sterling. He had agreed to give me away in the absence of a father. We linked our arms together and entered the area beside the loch.

I had been a bit nervous, not knowing what to do. But when I saw Connor, dressed in a simple white tunic and long white pants, all my fears dissolved to nothing. I smiled as I realised that Opal and Stella had made a flower for him, as well. It sat behind his right ear, just as mine did.

Sterling and I parted ways in front of where Sydney and Connor stood. I moved to face Connor. He took my hands in his.

"You look beautiful," he murmured.

I felt my face go warm. "Thank you," I replied.

"Dearly beloved," said Sydney, and we turned to look at her. She was smiling. "We're gathered here on this beautiful afternoon to join Connor and Zera in marriage. Now, I may not have much experience with romance, but it's impossible for me to imagine two people who deserve each other more. And when I look at them, I can tell that it's going to last forever. Do you two have vows ready?"

We both nodded. My stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch. Nothing had fit together properly in my head; what were the odds that things would work now, in front of people?

But looking at Connor, I felt myself calm down again. This would not be hard. I was speaking to Connor. I could tell him anything.

As the groom, Connor spoke first.

"Zera," he said. "I can't find the right words to really say how I feel about you. But the closest I can come is this: I love you. I feel like I've always known you, even though it hasn't really been long. And I just know that I'm going to love you all of my life, no matter what happens." He smiled. "I promise."

He moved the flower behind his ear to the left side, signifying that he had found a mate: Me.

I knew what to say now. The words came out seemingly of their own accord.

"I was always alone growing up," I said. "And I always knew that something was missing…something important. But it was not until I met you that I discovered what it was. You are all I ever needed, and all I will ever need. I love you, and I will love you every day of my life…however long that may be. You are my soul mate, the love of my life…my best friend. I love you, Connor."

Connor smiled as I moved my flower to behind my left ear.

"By the power the Almighty has seen fit to vest in me," said Sydney, smiling, "I declare you two husband and wife." She grinned. "Kiss!"

We obliged.

As cheers erupted from the small crowd and our kiss lingered, a sense of rightness welled up within me. This was how it was supposed to be. Connor was mine forever, and I his.

I had never been happier in my life.

Simona surprised us all by announcing that she had gotten a last-moment reception put together in the Great Hall of Stornway Castle. When I had heard this news, I looked to Sydney.

"That is what you did while we were Stella's and Opal's guinea pigs, was it not?" I asked, smiling.

"That's right," Sydney said. "When I told Simona about the wedding, we decided you two deserved a proper reception. So she pulled a few strings and got everything set up."

"Thanks, Syd," said Connor.

The two of us held close to one another all of the journey back to Stornway. Giggles and whoops ensued whenever we would kiss, and little Kathy insisted on picking flowers and throwing them on us. It was an interesting substitute for rice.

Upon entering Stornway, most of the party stopped in shock. Nearly every resident of the city was out along the streets, cheering. I looked at Simona.

"You did this!" I accused, beaming.

Simona smiled. "Yes, I did," she said. "I don't think any of you realise just how grateful all of us are to you for the help you gave us a few months back." She gestured to the people. "Here it is."

I could feel the heat in my cheeks as our small party made its way through the streets of the city to the palace. But I could not stop smiling. Who needed benevolessence? This, _this _was the essence of mortal gratitude. And it was directed in goodwill upon our new family.

Inside the Great Hall, a table had been set up with a number of foods laid upon it. Four people with instruments sat to one side of the Hall; the rest was cleared out. As we entered, Simona smiled and nodded to the musicians. They struck up a lively tune. Soon, Connor and I were dancing, and we were not the only ones. Mr and Mrs Trumble, Opal upon Sterling's feet, Sydney and Sensei Michael, King and Queen Schott: All of them were paired up and dancing with us. Simona, Annie, and Kathy had begun a three-person dance and were whirling around in circles. Stella was dancing wildly off to one side. We avoided her carefully, not wishing to be accidentally slapped in the face by a dancing faerie.

I had never enjoyed myself more. Connor and I danced together as much as we could manage, although on occasion one or the other guest would ask to cut in.

At one point during a brief break between songs, King Schott approached and asked, "So, are the new Trumbles enjoying themselves?"

I smiled at hearing Connor and myself called that, especially after what I had claimed as my surname in the Goretress.

"We certainly are," said Connor. "Thank you, sir."

There were brief toasts, after which Opal whipped out her (thankfully clean!) knife and cut the white-frosting-ed cake. She put two slices on plates and handed one to me and one to Connor, her natural beam lighting up her face.

"Open up," said Connor. Before I could do so all the way, he had stuffed a piece of the cake at my mouth. I managed to swallow what little ended up inside before I began laughing.

"Take that!" I said, shoving a bit in his face in retaliation.

He wiped it off and tasted a bit off the back of his hand. "Lemon," he said. "Pretty good."

I began laughing, as did he. More cake was distributed, and I cleaned off my face as the reception continued.

The reception did not end until after sundown. When it finally came time for everything to end, both Connor and I received hugs from each person who had come, along with their best wishes for our future. Then we parted ways. King and Queen Schott, along with Simona, retired to their chambers within the castle; Connor's family went back to the house; Sterling and Stella headed for the Starflight; and the rest of us returned to the Quester's Rest.

"We've got a surprise for you," said Erinn as we walked in. "Patty and I. If the Trumbles would please follow me!"

She had a smile upon her face, and I could not help smiling as well. The Trumbles. Connor and I were the Trumbles. We were truly, officially, never to be parted. We were one.

Erinn led us to a lift in the back left corner of the common room. I had never been in a lift before, but it was not truly that exciting. As we began up, Connor asked Erinn, "So what is it?"

"You'll see," she replied, smiling.

The lift stopped not long afterwards, and Erinn led us out and down the hallway. She stopped in front of one of the wooden doors. "Alright," she said. "This is it."

She pushed open the door, and I beheld an incredibly luxurious-looking suite. Occupying the centre was a huge bed with a net canopy. Every cloth furnishing in the room – curtains, bedding, chair and sofa cushions – was pure white, the same colour as our wedding garb.

I looked at Connor in amazement. As his eyes met mine, I suddenly thought about that bed. A sudden rush of desire poured through me, speeding my heart and my breath.

"Do you like it?" asked Erinn, distracting my attention slightly.

I nodded. "It is beautiful," I told her, not quite able to look away from Connor. "And it certainly fits a wedding."

"That was the plan," she explained. "It's all yours. Have a good night!"

She gave each of us a hug and left.

Once Erinn was gone, Connor and I hurried into the room and locked the door.

We were together forever. Nothing could stop us now.


	27. Chapter 27

I did not immediately open my eyes when I awoke the next morning. For several minutes I simply lay there, allowing memories of the previous day to wash over me. A small smile came to my face.

Connor's arms were still around me, as they had been when we had finally fallen asleep the night before. I opened my eyes and found Connor looking at me. He was smiling, as well.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said.

I blinked up at him. "Hello," I said.

Then I thought of something. "'Sleepyhead'," I said. "How long have I been asleep?"

Connor glanced up at the clock across the room. "Well, it's eight thirty now," he said, "and you fell asleep about ten. So about ten and a half hours."

"…Wow," I said. "I must have been exhausted."

"Well, you had an excuse," Connor replied. "From what I've heard, you haven't had much sleep recently."

I smiled and snuggled a little deeper into the warmth and comfort of the bed. "Perhaps I will just get a bit more," I said, closing my eyes. I heard Connor laugh.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," he said.

"And why not?"

Before Connor could answer there was a rapid knock at the door. "Are you two awake?" called Opal through the wood.

"We are now," I called back.

There was a laugh from outside. "Well, I guess that's good," Opal said. "We probably ought to get going pretty soon. I mean, we've got a little thing to do, right? Saving the world or something like that."

This time, all three of us laughed. "All right," Connor said. "We'll be down in a few minutes."

"Okay," said Opal. "I'll try to save some breakfast."

Her footsteps retreated back down the hall, and Connor and I got out of the bed. We re-joined at the foot, where we embraced. After a kiss, Connor pulled back and smiled. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said.

I smiled.

As Connor and I kissed again, I decided that I was not going to leave the room. Ever.

But then my stomach gave a growl.

"Come on," said Connor. "Let's get some clothes on. You need breakfast." He kissed me and smiled. "We'll have all the time in the world soon enough."

I smiled. "Not quite soon enough," I said, and kissed him.

After a moment, Connor pushed me away. "Seriously," he said, clearly amused. "Opal's right. "We've got to save the world."

"No pressure," I said, smiling.

Connor laughed, and we set to work getting ready.

/\*/\

Soon, Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I stood in the barren lands of the Gittish Empire. We faced the dark building that Sterling had called Gittingham Palace. It was surrounded by a force field, nearly identical to the shield fields that had kept the prisoners contained in the Goretress.

However, when I touched this one, a sharp shock ran up my arm and through my body. "Aaaagh!" I cried, falling backwards. Connor caught me just before I hit the dirt.

"Woah," he said. "I guess this one's different from the others, huh?"

I nodded, shaking from the aftereffects of the shock.

_"…Zera, my child," _came Mother's voice, and my head snapped up. _"A malevolent force protects the stronghold wherein dwells the evil… I shall open the way for you…" _

A golden beam shone down upon a portion of the shield, erasing it from existence. Where the field vanished, a bridge was revealed that led across a dried-up moat to the palace.

_"…But that is the limit of my powers… The task of eliminating the evil's origin must fall to you and your companions. Only my prayers may go with you…"_

"Can you really pray if you're a goddess?" wondered Opal aloud. As Mother's voice and the golden light faded away, I thought I heard a musical laugh from some unidentifiable source.

Connor helped me to rise the rest of the way, and the four of us stood together for a moment. My hand gently moved to touch the place where our child was growing. I was not doing this only for the Protectorate. I was doing this for my unborn baby. He, she, whichever: The evil that had threatened the Protectorate would not be there when our child came to greet us.

"Let us go," I said, drawing my sword.

We headed across the bridge. My eyes widened when we reached the other side and I saw who awaited us. Lieutenant Hootingham-Gore stood before us, accompanied by a pair of bad karmours.

"Hoo hoo hoo," he laughed, seeming pleasantly surprised. "Hoo should it be but you, Zera. And your…charming friends."

"Hoo nice to see you again," he continued. "Your actions proved me hasty in dismissing you so readily, to wit your liberation of the hoodlums hoo infested the Goretress. Although it is that careless toowit Goreham-Hogg hoo his most to blame," he said, beginning to pace. "It was he hoo caused King Godwyn to scold us so."

At this, my eyes widened. _Us?_ I thought, surprised. We had killed Goreham-Hogg; did this mean that there were yet more of them?

Hootingham-Gore looked back at us. "Hoo hoo hoo," he said. "But this is hardly becoming. I'm allowing my feelings to fly away with me. Hooo, my blood is positively boiling!"

I certainly would not have guessed as much to look at him. He seemed calm as ever.

"I shall just have to take it out on someone, to wit your good selves! Hoo hoo hoo!"

The bad karmours, which had until now done nothing, suddenly angled their weapons at us. Before they could strike, however, Connor leapt at Hootingham-Gore. As he struck out, one of the bad karmours shoved between Connor and his intended target. Connor's fist made a hollow sound as it hit the armour.

I was surprised by these monsters' loyalty. Briefly, my mind flashed back to what Greygnarl had said atop the Magmaroo: _"The soldiers I knew were of a less beastly appearance"_. Perhaps these Gittish soldiers had not always been monsters…

As I thought, the battle progressed. Opal cast Crackle, digging the icicle into the bad karmour on Hootingham-Gore's right. The other one ran at me, battle-axe raised. I attempted to intercept it with my sword, but my blade slipped aside. As part of the axe hit my collarbone, I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out.

Hootingham-Gore cast some sort of spell that resulted in the appearance of a shining wall of light before him. My brows contracted, but I pushed away my confusion. I would simply have to be careful when it came time for me to attack.

The other bad karmour took its turn then, swinging its axe at Connor. My stomach lurched, but before I could start towards them, Connor dodged the sharp blade.

Sydney came over to me and checked the area where the axe had hit me. "You're good," she said. "It's not too deep." Then she hurried away and whacked one of the bad karmours with her staff. I could not help but smile. Kind, caring Sydney: As soon as you blinked, she would be off kicking monster butt.

Finally, it was my turn. I ran at Hootingham-Gore, sword outstretched. But just as had happened when Connor had attacked, one of the bad karmours thrust between us and took my blade in place of the lieutenant.

It was not long before we learnt what the wall of light did. Opal cast Boom, with the clear intent of rending the air around our opponents. However, the wall of light gleamed ominously, and an instant later I felt dozens of sharp spikes of pain as the air around me bent out of shape. I screamed at the sensation. It felt as though someone had inserted the tips of numerous swords into my skin and twisted violently.

One pain low in my stomach added panic to pain. Was this hurting the baby!?

A moan of relief escaped me as the pain faded away. I moved my hand to my stomach for an instant, praying that the tiny person in there knew it was all right. From my right, I heard Sydney: "Opal, do us all a favour and don't cast any spells!"

"No problem," Opal replied. Both girls' voices sounded a bit shaky. I could not blame them for that. Boom had not been a pleasant experience.

Once the bad karmours had been defeated, the battle became quite simple. In the end, a well-placed blow from Sydney's staff was all it took. Hootingham-Gore stumbled back against the palace wall, breathing heavily.

"Hooo…" he said. "It seems I underestimated you once again… Still –" he struggled to pull himself up slightly – "it is you hoo I pity. A worse fate awaits you, to wit Lieutenant Goresby-Purrvis, last of the Triumgorate. The palace is safe in his hands. hoo, but I would so love to have hoomiliated you myself… Hoo hoo hoo."

He gave a sigh, and dissolved into blackness. Our way into Gittingham Palace was clear.

The four of us looked at one another for a moment. Connor touched my hand gently. And we headed inside.

A door stood directly before us when we entered, but it was blocked by a pillar. We were not going to be able to use that.

"How much do you want to bet that door would be the quickest way to whatever it is we have to 'extinguish' here?" asked Connor, grinning.

I laughed. "I will put a thousand gold on it."

"I'll take that bet," said Opal, laughing. "I say we head east. It's a fifty-fifty chance, right?"

"Sounds good to me," said Sydney. I shrugged. So we headed east and through the door at the end of the short corridor. Another corridor led around to the north. It had clearly once been an opulent place, but the three centuries since the Empire had fallen had not been kind to the palace. The carpet was moth-eaten, as were the tapestries upon the walls. My heart stopped briefly as I spotted a lethal armour moving ahead of us. One of my hands was already holding Connor's; as Opal was closest, I grabbed her wrist as well. Quickly, I pulled us into the shadows. Opal had grabbed Sydney and dragged her behind us. We shrank back against the wall, but the lethal armour did not turn. I let out a sigh of relief as my heart restarted.

"Almighty, that scared me half to death!" breathed Connor as the monster left through a door at the end of the corridor. "Let's go this way instead."

We hurried through the corridor to a door on the left side. This was an open-roofed corridor – either that or the roof had come down some time in the past three hundred years. The eternally overcast sky of the Gittish Empire made a roof of grey cloud. I shivered in the chill.

"Don't freeze," warned Connor, pulling his hand from mine and instead putting an arm around my shoulders. "I'd hate to lose you so soon."

I smiled. "Thank you. You are quite warm."

A door stood in the wall to our right. Opal opened it up and peered inside. "Nope," she said. "It's just a room. We can't get anywhere from here."

Around the corner stood another door. When we opened this one, I sighed in relief. It was not much warmer, but it was better than the cutting chill outside.

A room before us had a big hole in the floor, matching exactly that in the throne room of the Almighty's temple. Each of us stilled as we beheld it.

"The evil's down there," murmured Sydney, seemingly to herself. "Almighty, I hate to think how powerful it must be…"

Three heads nodded in agreement.

We moved away from the dark hole, to a room on the left. My eyes were drawn to a red chest in the centre, sitting on a plinth. I moved up and opened it to reveal a dark shield.

"Nice," said Opal as I lifted it out of the chest.

I grinned and unhooked my shield. "I think I will just take this one instead," I said, strapping on the dark shield. It was lightweight, but I could tell it was quite strong.

I re-joined the others and we headed through the other door and down a corridor that turned sharply. On the other side of that turn, a killing machine scuttled around. When it spotted us, it raced our way.

Connor quickly cast Wind Sickles, something that I realised I had not seen him do for quite a few battles. Opal cast Boom, and I shivered as the air rent itself. I knew it would not hurt me this time, but I could not help it.

The killing machine shook off the attacks and shot an arrow at me. I jumped aside and the arrow missed me by about a centimetre. Then the monster slashed at Opal with its sword. She did not move as quickly as I had, and the blade made a shallow cut across her stomach. The blood looked shockingly red against her dark skin.

Sydney tossed Opal something to clean off the wound, and hit the killing machine with her staff. Then I ran at it and used an attack I had read about: Metal Slash. The killing machine made a metallic screeching noise and exploded into dust.

Several flights of stairs and one encounter with a stone guardian later, we reached the top of the palace. We peered around a corner and up a set of stairs to see some sort of cat-being standing in front of a door, arms folded. It seemed rather bored just standing there. I noticed the fingers upon its left hand flex, as though it were grasping at an invisible sword. That amused me, for I often did the same when I was uncertain as to what to do with my hands.

"He looks bored," said Sydney. "What do you say we go and break the monotony?"

I grinned. "I think he would appreciate it."

We straightened and headed up the stairs to greet the cat-being.

Its eyes flickered to us as we reached it. "So the other two snuffed it, eh?" it asked in a distinctly male voice. "What purrfect fatheads!" He laughed once, which sounded rather like a purr. "Then I'm the last of the Triumgorate. Goresby-Purrvis is the name. Let me take a guess – you're the rouges who took out the Goretress?"

Goresby-Purrvis seemed rather lest bestial than Goreham-Hogg, and more animated than Hootingham-Gore. Though I knew he was an Imperial, there was something about him that I instinctively liked. When he said "rouges", he clearly did not mean it in a way that was all bad.

At my nod, I saw a spark of excitement flare in his eyes. He gestured to the door behind him. "Beyond this door lies the throne room of our purroud and purrosperous leader, King Godwyn of the House of Gitt."

In a movement so quick that I would have missed it had I been blinking, Goresby-Purrvis drew his sword. A fierce, feline grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. "And I'm afraid that to let you pass is purrfectly out of the question. Purrpare to be perrforated!"

We launched into battle.

As we fought, I could sense Goresby-Purrvis's enjoyment of the battle. Though he looked like a cat, he was clearly a warrior at heart. Battle was his element.

Because of this, I could not help feeling as though I liked him, as though this were a contest of strength between friends. Indeed, the tide of the battle began to centre itself slightly more on Goresby-Purrvis and myself, each of us attempting to outdo one another in strength and skill. Our blows grew faster, harder, as we found ourselves to be matched in love of the fight.

But Connor, Opal, and Sydney were still fighting on my side. When Opal cast a particularly powerful ice spell, sending a huge, many-pointed chunk of ice spiking out of the floor, Goresby-Purrvis was caught upon one of the spikes. As the ice vanished, he dropped back down to the ground.

"G-Golly," he said, attempting to stand but having no luck. "You're purretty good, I must say. It's rather a surprrise to meet someone else who surpasses me in skill." He looked up, meeting my red eyes with his amber-green pair. "Still, it's truly an honour to end my career with an opponent such as yourself. Purrfect… Just purrfect…"

His head dropped back down and his eyes closed. "Your Majesty, I hope you can forgive me for not sticking around… I've been purrfectly useless…"

I felt a small pang as his form dissolved into blackness. "You were a worthy opponent," I murmured as the blackness evaporated. "I pray that you will find battle-joy wherever it is you end up."

Connor took my hand. "You enjoyed that," he said.

I nodded. "He had a passion for the fight to match my own. I have rarely come across such a thing, except for…"

I swallowed.

"Except for Aquila. He was the only other being I have ever met who seemed at times to live for the fight. I suppose it was a redeeming quality." My mouth took a slightly harder shape. "I hope he is able to fight me when it comes time."

Then I shook my head sharply. This was not the time to dwell upon what Aquila had done and what I wished to do to him. Right now, we needed to destroy the evil threatening our world. There would be time for vengeance later.

"I am sorry," I said. "Let us go."

"Good idea," said Sydney, looking at me with a sympathetic expression. I reached out and opened the door of King Godwyn's throne room.

A large hole was broken into the floor before us, following the pattern I had seen in the rooms beneath. It was spanned by a bridge, which led to the remainder of the room. My breath caught as I saw the figure that stood on a small balcony before us. His back was turned, but I recognised him immediately.

It was Aquila.

My breath returned, speeding up with my heart rate as anger coursed through me.

And I thought I had been angry before!

_Loathing_ was a far better word for what was flooding through me now. Pure, unadulterated loathing.

Without conscious thought, I felt my hand move to my sword.

"Wait," breathed Connor, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We can't just go barging in there. You remember what happened on the Starflight – if you try to fight him again you'll be killed!"

At the concern in his tone, I softened slightly. "You are right," I sighed. "Let us see what we are dealing with first."

Quietly, the four of us moved forwards and to the left. As we shifted, the being Aquila faced came into view. He wore grand robes and a crown, and carried a regal sceptre, but he was clearly a beast.

I could not focus my attention upon him.

My gaze fell back upon the traitor's features, now clearly displayed in profile. The power of the hatred I felt surprised me. It was…exhilarating.

I could feel a maddened edge underneath it all, the very thing Mother had attempted to protect me from when my vocation changed. Now I wanted it.

I could kill Aquila, right now. I could race up the stairs and strike his head from his shoulders. The power behind the sheer hatred I felt made me certain I could do anything – even oppose a superior Celestrian. At that moment, I could do the impossible. I never would have imagined that hatred could lend one such _power_!

"Come, Aquila," said the beast-king. "Hand over those fyggs now, there's a good fellow."

I had been preparing myself to launch an attack, but the word "fyggs" shocked me into stillness. My eyes flickered to Aquila's arms, and he indeed held the fyggs. Their glow seemed dampened here in this pit of evil, in the arms of the traitor. But how had they gotten there?

"Very well, Godwyn of the House of Gitt," said Aquila, and my confusion vanished. I welcomed back the hatred and power that had filled me moments before. "If you desire them, they are yours. But in return…"

To my shock, he dropped the fyggs and drew his sword, pointing it at Godwyn. "…I must take your life!"

There was a silence within the room, one that was likely not anything like as long as it felt. My anger drained away, replaced by confusion and a tiny spark of hope.

"So that's what this had all been about," said Godwyn, not sounding surprised in the least – merely interested, as though a novel he was reading had taken a different turn than he had anticipated. "Well, well… And I suppose that means they're not real fyggs, either?"

"The fyggs are the sacred fruit of the Observatory," said Aquila, a scathing edge colouring his tone. "To use them as mere bargaining tokens would be sacrilege."

The spark of hope within my breast began to grow. Aquila looked to the side, dropping his head in a manner familiar to me. He would have an expression upon his face now that to any other would seem to be anger.

"I feigned the betrayal of my kind, my land… my pupil… All so I would be brought before you."

As he looked back up, the last of my confusion disappeared. Aquila had never been a traitor. He had been attempting to stop the Gittish Empire. He had never betrayed me!

"Oh, how delightfully clever of you," said Godwyn, sounding dismissive. "Unfortunately, the price for such a priceless piece of deception will have to be your life."

Aquila clenched his free arm before his chest, one of his gestures of stubbornness. "No," he said. "I will vanquish you and release your prisoner, foul fiend!"

_Prisoner,_ I thought. Did he mean –?

My train of thought was interrupted as he held out his free hand and tendrils of blue electricity struck out at Godwyn. It was one of the most advanced magical abilities of the Celestrians, something I had not even begun to study before my fall. Then Aquila opened his wings and launched himself forward, slicing down into one of Godwyn's horns.

Godwyn's only response at first was to slowly raise his eyes to look at my master's face.

"Is that really all you can muster?" he asked after a moment. "A little disappointing, I must say."

I took in the shock that broke through Aquila's serious mask as Godwyn raised an arm and swatted him off as though he were nothing but a pesky fly. Aquila tumbled backwards and landed with a grunt behind the fake fyggs. I began to move towards him, but Connor grasped my wrist.

"Stop!" he hissed.

"No," I replied. "He is hurt! I cannot –"

"I doubt you'd even made decent feed for Barbarus, and he's hardly the fussy type," said Godwyn.

I clenched my jaw.

"And, quite frankly, if you're not going to make yourself useful, I shall jolly well have to get rid of you."

A thrill of fear ran through me as he raised his sceptre. Aquila had risen to a kneeling position, but he could not get out of the way in time to avoid the deep red lightning that shot out of the end. It wrapped around him from head to foot, and I could see the pain upon my master's face as he threw back his head, gritting his teeth. The necessary willpower to not scream must have been immense.

Godwyn moved his sceptre to the side, and the lightning vanished. Several residual traces crackled across Aquila's skin as he dropped to his hands and knees, eyes squeezed shut, breathing in ragged gasps. I could see the sweat beading his forehead.

A ball of fire grew over the ball upon Godwyn's sceptre. My eyes widened in horror as I recognised the spell as Kafrizz – an incredibly powerful fire spell. As Aquila finally pushed himself off his hands and knees, he spotted the flames, and terror crossed his face. That made it far worse. I had never seen Aquila show even the slightest hint of fear.

Then Godwyn flung the ball of fire at my master. As the flames wrapped around him, enclosing him entirely, I heard the most awful, excruciated sound that had ever fallen upon my ears: Aquila's scream of pain.

"AAAAAGGGHHH!"

"NOO!" I screamed. "_Master_!"

The flames vanished, and my master collapsed onto his side, smoking and singed.

This time, Connor did not hold me back. As a matter of fact, I heard three sets of feet behind me as I raced up the stairs to my master's side.

"Master," I said breathlessly, kneeling beside him and gently touching an unburnt part of his shoulder. Slowly, with visible pain in the motion, Aquila turned his head and looked up at me.

"Is this an…apparition…?" he asked, dark brows drawing together. "Zera, can it truly be you…?"

"It is I, Master," I said, my eyes flickering up and down his body, trying to figure out what I could do to help him.

"What brings you…to this accursed place…?" asked Aquila.

Before I could answer, I heard Godwyn's voice from behind me. "And what have we here?" it asked. "Another grub come crawling out of the woodwork, eh?"

I twisted at the waist to look at the king. He was regarding us with a combination of curiosity, disdain, and grudging respect.

"But to make it this far, you must have beaten their respective Goreships. Good show!" The sarcasm in his voice was not as strong as I would have imagined.

"I certainly shan't be holding back, then," he continued. "Come along, let's give you the right royal thrashing you deserve!"

I glanced back at Aquila, lying on the floor, burnt and exhausted. Then I looked at Sydney. "Take care of him," I said, and rose to face King Godwyn. I drew my sword quickly. Then Connor, Opal and I engaged the king.

Connor performed his Knuckle Sandwich attack, and Opal cast Frizz. Then Godwyn swung his staff, catching Opal on the left side of her stomach. She gave a grunt and staggered several paces to the right.

I attacked, slicing into Godwyn's skin rather than the horn. It did more damage than Aquila's attack had.

Sydney did not re-join us during the battle. At the back of my mind the entire time was Aquila's welfare. I felt horribly guilty about and embarrassed by the raging hatred that had consumed me only a short time before, when Aquila was in truth so good. And now I felt as though I were responsible for making certain he was not permanently hurt.

One of Connor's punches caught Godwyn in the chest, and he stumbled back a pace, breathing hard. He fixed us with a glare.

"Do you have any idea what in insult to the glorious Gittish Empire your continued insistence on causing trouble constitutes?" he asked.

I grinned. "No," I said, "but please tell me. I am certain that we will all find the knowledge most gratifying."

"Hmph," said Godwyn. "I see I shall have to beat your lesson into you with a good deal more force. Very well. But I'm warning you: You won't like it…!"

I shrank back against Connor as fog began to rise around the king's form. Within the fog, I could see his shape lengthening, morphing and mutating. A pair of bony wings sprouted out of his back, and I heard a clatter as his staff fell to the floor.

Then the fog cleared to reveal that the king had shed his skin to reveal a dragon's skeleton. His eyes glinted angrily from within their sockets, and he held a halberd and a shield.

"Grrrrrrrarrrrrrrrggghhh!" he roared.

I was frozen from fear. How could something like this even be alive!?

Fortunately, Connor was not as paralysed as I was. He sprang forwards, landing a punch directly on Godwyn's…skull. I shook off the strange paralysis and glanced over at Opal. She was staring at the dragon-skeleton-Godwyn in terror.

"Opal!" I shouted. "Cast a spell!" I could do nothing myself. It was not my time yet.

At my yell, Opal blinked and pulled herself together, casting a spell I had not seen before. It seemed like Boom, but it was not the same. The power and duration of the spell was much greater – at least double that of Boom.

Godwyn roared, rearing back. Then he cast Kafrizz. The ball of flames caught me directly in the centre of my chest, and I screamed. I fell backwards and grunted as I hit the floor. Unable to stop myself, I slumped onto my side. I could barely breathe.

"Zera!" yelled Connor, and I saw him move towards me, but Godwyn knocked him aside with the shaft of his halberd. Connor hit the wall with a very solid _thunk _and slid limply to the ground.

Opal looked around in panic, but we all knew she could do nothing for us. Instead, she cast Kacrack, the ice spell she had used to defeat Goresby-Purrvis.

But then Godwyn was ready to attack. He swung the halberd, catching Opal's sleeve on the hook and slamming her to the ground. I heard her cry out as she hit the stone of the floor.

_No, _I thought. I could do nothing. I was singed and in immense pain from the flames. Connor seemed to be unconscious, either from Godwyn's blow or the strength of his impact with the wall. Opal was surely badly hurt; I had seen the strength with which the king had slammed her to the floor. From the way she was holding her arm, it may have been broken. Sydney was the only one of us who was still able to fight properly, and she was tending to Aquila. We were done for.

Then I heard something strange. It was…music?

It was. Music began to fill the chamber, growing louder each second. The sound was beautiful, soothing, although I could not tell quite what was making it. As I listened to the melody, the pain from my burns seemed to fade away. Opal looked up in search of the music's source. Connor opened his eyes slowly, blinking.

The healing effect of the music upon us did not seem to extend to Godwyn. In fact, he seemed almost pained by the sound, writhing as he attempted to block his ears.

His distraction gave me an idea. I grabbed my sword from where I had dropped it and held it carefully, taking aim. Aquila had warned me against trying such things, but I had a funny feeling that it would work. And so I flung my sword at Godwyn.

It arced cleanly through the air, coming down, and impaled itself directly through the king's skull.

"Grrrarrrggggghhh!" he roared, an earsplitting sound of pain. He collapsed to the floor, eyes closing.

Connor, Opal, and I rose, coming together in front of Godwyn's corpse. Then I heard Aquila's voice from behind me.

"You have come far, Zera…"

He coughed. I turned and hurried to help him sit up. The burns that Godwyn's spell had inflicted upon him had faded, thanks to Sydney's skill in healing.

"Thanks be," I murmured. "I am so glad you are all right, Master! …But I do not understand what happened. I thought you had betrayed me."

Aquila shook his head. "I feigned obedience to Godwyn in the hope that I might free the Celestrians he held captive," he said, "but I was too weak." He fixed me with his traditional piercing, steely-eyed look. "But I do not hold my actions to be shameful. I did as I though correct."

I nodded. "You ought not to be ashamed," I said. "I am the only one who should feel that way. Master, I am so sorry… I should have known that you would never do something so terrible." I felt an urge to hug him, but I did not. Aquila was my master, a Celestrian. Besides, I was not very good at physical affection with anyone but Connor.

Aquila looked down. "My only regret is that I was forced to deceive you," he said. Then he looked back up, and I was surprised to see pride upon his face. "But you have far exceeded all my hopes. You are become truly mighty… Zera, you…"

He hesitated, clearly trying to find words. I helped him to rise to his feet.

Then there was a roar from behind us. I turned, shocked, to see that Godwyn was back up, my sword still lodged in his skull.

"Come now, did you really think that was going to be enough to finish of Godwyn of the House of Gitt!" he cried, and speared at me with his halberd.

"Zera!" cried Aquila, and shoved me aside. He raised his sword and flew at Godwyn. There was an almighty crash as their weapons met. Then Godwyn collapsed.

"You…rotter!" he gasped. "…Grrarghh…"

And then he dissolved into darkness. Godwyn was dead.

"Master, you did it!" I exclaimed. But then my excitement was replaced by worry as Aquila stood there, bent over. "…Master?"

I rose, intending to help him, when he turned to face me. My eyes widened in horror as I saw the deep gash in his chest. It was bleeding heavily.

"You…are…unharmed…Zera…?" he asked.

I nodded mutely, unable to speak.

"Praise…be…" said Aquila. And then, to my shock, he smiled. He had lived nearly five centuries; never before had I heard of a smile ever crossing my master's features.

Then the smile vanished as he winced with pain. "It…seems…my…journey…ends…here…" he said.

"No," I said. "No, you cannot die, Master! There must be something that I can do –"

Aquila shook his head. "This...is yours," he said, and picked up a bundle that lay on the floor. I had seen it earlier, but paid it no mind. Now Aquila pressed it into my hands and pulled back the edge of the cloth. It took me a moment to register what it was.

The end that Aquila had revealed was the hilt of a Guardian's sword. The grip was wrapped in silver wire, and looked to be the exact right size for my hand. In the pommel was a polished onyx.

"I intended...to give this...to you...that fateful day..." Aquila said. "You have proved yourself...a true Guardian...Zera..."

I could scarcely speak past the lump growing in my throat. "Th...Thank you, Master."

You…must…finish this…" he said then, looking directly in my eyes. "You must free them… Free…the Celestrians… Free…him…" He took a rattling breath, closing his eyes. "Free…my…teacher…"

A white glow began to grow around him. I looked on, feeling helpless. Surely Aquila could not die! Not now that I finally knew his true character, that he was truly good and loyal! He was my master. He could not die!

But the glow continued to increase, blinding me. A blue light flashed from Aquila's heart, and the glow disappeared. I blinked several times to readjust my vision, praying that somehow, impossibly, my master would still stand there when I could see again.

He was not standing there. Aquila was gone.

"No," I whispered, feeling tears come to my eyes. My face crumpled. "No!"

"I'm sorry, Zera," murmured Connor, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded. "So am I…"

Then a sob broke free from my throat. Connor put his arms around me, and I sobbed into his chest as he rubbed my back gently. It was not enough. I loved Connor, so much. But Aquila had been nothing if not a father to me. I did not think anything could console his loss. Not my friends, not even Connor. I had lost my father.

I felt another set of arms join Connor's around me, lower down. Then Sydney joined the hug as well. For several minutes, we stood there. The only sound was that of my sobbing.

Then I heard Stella's voice. "Don't look so down in the heart, Zera, you did more than anyone could've hoped…"

I looked up to see the faerie hovering at the edge of our small group.

"Like what?" I asked. The words came out bitter.

"You beat the boss of the bad guys for a start," Stella said. "Everyone'll be pleased as Punch and Judy about that, won't they, eh…?"

I shook my head, looking down. "It was Aquila who defeated him," I said. "If not for him, I would be dead."

"Listen, you!" exclaimed Stella, and my head snapped back up to see that she was now right in front of me. "This is no time to stand around looking all down in the doldrums! Snap into it! There's Celestrians to be saved!"

I felt myself growing angry. "Why can you not just keep your mouth shut?" I asked. "My master is _dead_, Stella! So if it is not too much trouble, I would like you to leave me alone so that I can grieve without your stupid comments!"

Stella squared her shoulders. Then, to my immense shock, she slapped me in the face. I clapped a hand to my cheek, feeling the sting. For such a skinny thing, Stella had a fair bit of strength to her blow.

For several moments, we glared at one another. Then I saw the concern hiding behind Stella's angry expression. I softened slightly.

"Tough love, is it?" I asked quietly. "You sneaky faerie." I half-smiled. "I suppose I needed that. You are right. We need to help the others."

I took Connor's hand and looked around at everyone. "Thank you," I said.

Sydney smiled and squeezed my hand. Opal gave me a hug. Connor pulled me closer and put his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go," he said.

And so we headed out to finish our mission.

* * *

><p>Hello again, all!<p>

I'd say 'sorry I took so long', but I just recently looked at my last update and realised that it really wasn't that long ago. I just feel like I was such a slug getting this chapter written!

Anyway, school's started up again, and this year I've got a larger workload. I'm sorry if things start taking a little longer from here on in, but what can I do? It's school. We've always got to deal with that first.

Oh, and by the way. Lilliana-aka-josephina, I forgot to say this when I updated last chapter. You were entirely the inspiration for 'freakish half-breed kid'. I laughed when I wrote that in, thinking about your review. Thank you!

Until next time, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	28. Chapter 28

Several times as we walked back through the now-empty halls of Gittingham Palace, I had to press my face into Connor's shoulder and choke back fits of renewed tears. Each time this happened, he would rub my shoulder and guide me until I recovered enough composure to look up again.

After one of these fits, I attempted to distract myself. Looking at Sydney, I asked, "Do…do you know what happened at the end of our battle? When the music started…"

Sydney smiled slightly. "That was me," she said. "My coup de grâce, I mean. But I haven't used it very often. It only shows up when I really need it. Which I did. Or rather, all of _you_ did."

I nodded. Then we lapsed back into silence.

I looked down at the bundle I still held in my arms – the Guardian's sword that Aquila had given to me. Gently, I rubbed the onyx set into the pommel.

"'Each sword is made individually for its intended Guardian'," I murmured. "'The stone chosen for the pommel is meant in some way to represent the new Guardian's personality. Both the stone and the engraving upon the blade are chosen by the Guardian's master, and the sword will not fade or tarnish'."

"Engraving?" asked Connor.

I nodded. "Every Guardian has a sword with an engraving that was chosen by their master. The wording for Aquila's sword was left in a notebook by Corvus before his disappearance."

"So what's the one on yours?" asked Opal quietly.

I hesitated. Then, slowly, I unwrapped the rest of the sword. Bit by bit, the shining, silver-coloured blade was revealed. I put the cloth over my arm and admired the craftsmanship for some long moments. Even without holding it in ready position, I could tell that it was made perfectly for me.

Then I looked on the blade for the engraving. It was engraved all in capitals, as was the tradition. I recognised Aquila's work in the letters, and felt myself tear up again. It was only when I blinked those back that I managed to read what the blade said.

_MORTALS' SENTINEL_

I stared at the words for several moments, wondering what Aquila had meant by them.

"'Mortals' sentinel'," murmured Sydney. "But all Guardians are mortals' sentinels, aren't they?"

Sydney's words triggered something. I thought back to the Celestrians' pervasive teaching that the mortals were inferior. Few cared much for them, and though the position of Guardian was one of honour, it was also looked upon as a burden by most. Aquila and I had been among the few who did not subscribe to those beliefs.

"Not all," I said. "At least, not fully. Most of them see Guardianship as a burden as much as an honour. They believe mortals to be inferior. I disagreed."

I looked down at the ground. "Aquila meant that I was a sentinel, not merely because I had been chosen but because I cared for those I watched over." As the words left my tongue, I thought over them. They sounded right.

During the pause that followed, I sheathed my new sword.

Finally, Opal broke the silence. "Where do you think the prisoners are?"

"Downstairs," responded Sydney. "Remember that one door we passed, the one with the weird seal?"

"The blue one?" asked Connor. We had passed a doorway with a blue seal upon it, which none of us knew how to break. The Gittish seal Greygnarl had given me was no good, either. "How're going to get in there?"

"Perhaps the seal will be gone now," I suggested. "After all, the king is dead. He may have been the one keeping the seal in place."

"Worth a shot," said Opal, shrugging. "Let's get down there."

It turned out that I was correct. When we reached the blocked doorway, we found that it was not blocked any longer. However, a strange sheen hovered upon the floor to about halfway across the small room. It was violet, with cracklings of yellow lightning.

"Promising," said Connor.

"Very," I agreed, rolling my eyes. "Opal, would you happen to know a spell to block this?"

Opal glanced across the hazardous floor. "Maybe," she said. "Safe Passage should work, but I'm not sure about anything here. Nothing's been what it seemed." All the same, she raised her knife and cast the spell I recognised from the Old School beneath Swinedimples Academy. As the light settled in around us, we hurried out into the field of lightning.

"Ow!" I exclaimed as one tendril of lightning wrapped around my leg. It was more like an electrified snake than a lightning bolt, I realised. The electricity seemed to have a mind of its own.

We made our way through the field, somehow. It took five minutes to traverse the two-metre-long stretch of floor that was covered by it. When we finally reached the other side, we slumped against each other and nearly fell in a pile.

"Phew," said Sydney. "I guess Safe Passage was a waste of time."

"Pretty much," agreed Opal. "But it was worth a shot."

We got up after a moment, and headed down the stairs.

The first set led down into a diamond-shaped room with another set of stairs sunk into the floor. This set led into what was clearly a dungeon. Down here, it was dark and dank, and the monster-guards still roamed the corridors.

At one point, we passed a set of cells. One of them still had a prisoner, a ghost with untidy dark hair. We looked at him curiously as we passed.

"What did you do to end up down here?" asked Connor.

The ghost shrugged. "I may not look it," he said, "but I used to be a soldier of the Empire. Fool that I am, I disobeyed a direct order. I was all fired up to fight and even die for good old Mother Empire… But I drew the line at channelling the power of minsters in order to make oneself more powerful. That really is the bally limit!"

_So that is what happened,_ I thought. It explained a lot.

The man went to the cell's makeshift bed and lay down, and we continued on our way.

On each level, there was one room where the floor had been replaced by the same gaping hole we had seen elsewhere. Each hole gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach. We were missing something. There was more to this than just the Gittish Empire.

Soon enough, we reached a hallway full of cells. No ghosts resided in these. Each cell contained another of the cocoons like those that had held the Celestrians in the Goretress captive. My stomach gave an uneasy flop. Corvus was within one of these cocoons. I would save him. I could not repay the debt I owed my master for disbelieving him, but I could try.

This was how.

But as we released each prisoner, my heart sank a little lower. All of these were Celestrians whom I recognised from my time in the Observatory. None of them was Corvus.

When one of them – Vultr, the Guardian of Gleeba – said that death was a fitting punishment for Aquila's treachery, I nearly snapped.

"He was no traitor," I said, my throat tightening. "He saved my life. It is only because of him that you are free now. Do not say another word against him!"

Then I had to turn away to hide renewed tears. Connor put an arm around my shoulder, and I pressed my face briefly against him.

The final Celestrian we freed eased my fears of not finding Corvus. "There is another who awaits release yet, deep within the bowels of this place. We will take care of ourselves. Go to him. Set him free at long last."

We left to do so.

"How long do you think he's been locked up?" asked Opal. "I mean, from what Serena showed us, everything went okay, right? He got rid of all the Gittish soldiers."

"He did," I agreed. "But that was not the end of it. Do you remember?"

There was a pause. Then Sydney said, "You're right."

We headed down through the remainder of the dungeons. The holes in the floor continued as we went deeper. The final floor seemed to go on forever in a huge, down-sloping spiral. The further we went, the tighter it got, until I began to feel a bit dizzy and nauseous. I was grateful when we reached the very base and the corridor opened up into a small room.

A Celestrian crouched in the centre of the room. His head was down, and his shoulder-length blonde hair covered his face. Everything about him was messy and torn, from the hair to his clothing.

"Um…" said Stella, "is this another one of those Celestrians they're keeping under lock and chain?"

"Corvus," I murmured. This was it. Aquila's mission was now mine; I owed him that. I would free his master.

I took Connor's hand. This underground dungeon had an unsettling feel to it, something that was strangely familiar…but not in a good way. It was like the familiarity of the tension before the thunderstorm.

"I think he's saying something," whispered Opal, moving closer.

As I listened, I realised that she was right. Corvus was whispering, seemingly to himself. I had to strain my ears to make out the words.

"A crime…" he whispered. "Their very existence is an insult…an abomination…a crime…"

_The Imperials,_ I thought. _He must be talking about the Imperials. I suppose that after all this time, he would fall to talking to himself. _

"I shall try to figure out how to release him," I whispered. I did not know why I whispered, nor why I did not announce our presence to Corvus. Something about this room made me wish to keep as quiet as possible. There was a strange malevolence occupying the entire chamber.

Swallowing, I let go of Connor's hand and moved towards the imprisoned Celestrian. His skin was almost green from the time spent without the sun's light. I touched one of the chains cautiously, and nearly jumped out of my skin as the seal on my chest shone and the chain began to move with a fanfare of clanking.

"…Intruders?" asked Corvus, still not raising his head. "Then Godwyn is defeated?" There was a particularly loud clank as the chain on his right wrist fell off and hit the floor. "Hm. I am alone once more…"

My eyes widened, and I glanced back at the others.

"And after going to such great pains to revive his restless soul and give it new purpose… Such selfishness… But such is the nature of mortals… Selfish beings, one and all…"

At this point, I decided it would be safer – and saner – to lock Corvus back up again. But when I attempted to move forwards and reattach the chains, I found myself frozen. The chain on his left wrist fell off.

I was, however, able to move back. Stumbling backwards, away from the strange aura of power accumulating around the clearly maddened Corvus, I felt Connor's arms close around me. I felt a rush of relief and clung to him. All five of us stared in fright at Corvus as he continued to speak.

"Their very existence is an insult…an abomination…a crime…"

The chain on his right ankle fell away.

"Celestria, who fought to protect them… Zenus, who stayed their obliteration… Both are guilty also…"

The chain on his left ankle fell off. Corvus was finally free…but I was not so certain now that that was a good thing.

"And who shall punish these sinners? If there is no other who is equal to the task, then it falls to me."

He rose from his crouched position and stretched, clearly revelling in the feel. I distinctly heard multiple joints popping and cracking. Hurriedly, I gestured the others behind me. I looked just as mortal as they, but I hoped Corvus would see that I was not. Perhaps if I distracted him from the others, they would be safe.

There were horns upon his head, I realised, and then I saw his eyes.

Mine were red, but that was natural. I had always been that way. But I distinctly remembered Corvus's eyes being blue in the vision Serena had shown us.

They were not any more.

"I, Corvus, who was once called 'Celestrian'." An edge of derision coloured his tone when he said the final word. Then he looked at me.

"And you, wingless one, what say you?" he asked.

I felt a rush of relief. He had not noticed the others yet…

"Is there merit in mortalkind?" he asked me. "Is it worthy of salvation?"

I was suddenly intensely aware of the fact that there were three pairs of mortal eyes watching me. My chin rose a fraction.

"Yes," I said. "I believe the mortals to be good."

A starburst of darkness seemed to explode behind Corvus, and I jumped at the suddenness of it.

"Thus you prove yourself yet another enemy," said Corvus. "Gods, mortals, Celestrians… All are ranged against me… And all shall be destroyed!"

I drew my sword without thinking. Trying to attack, I felt my stomach give a heave, but it was not from morning sickness this time. I could not attack Corvus. However mad he had gone in the past three centuries, he was still a senior Celestrian. There was not a blasted thing I could do to fight him.

"Hm," he said. "The law of the Celestrians forbids you to take arms against me. Pathetic."

My lip curled at that word, and I tried again to attack, but it worked no better than the first time. It actually went worse – I tasted vomit in the back of my mouth and swallowed hard, several times, to keep it down.

Then Corvus hit me in the head with one scraggly-nailed hand. Stars exploded across my vision as I collapsed. A pair of arms caught me before I hit the ground, and I blinked through the pain in my head to focus on Corvus.

"None can know the hatred I have fostered these past three hundred years," he said. "None can imagine the pain of my captivity. And yet it is that very pain and hatred that has given me power. I am become stronger even than the Almighty. You witnessed the barrage of beautiful, baneful light I sent forth? I destroyed him! I destroyed Zenus himself!"

He tilted his head back and laughed. "And thus I am become Almighty. The time to ascend to my throne is nigh."

We watched as Corvus spread his wings and soared up through the series of holes in the palace. Once above it, he cried, "Come, Barbarus. Heed your god!"

There was an all-too-familiar roar as the dark dragon flew to join Corvus above the palace. An image flashed through my head of dark power gathering above a dark maw, a white dragon flinging me off and placing himself between the darkness and his village. I blinked back tears.

"We shall make a fitting home of the Realm of the Almighty before the work of obliterating the mortal sinners begins," said Corvus, and he and the dark dragon began flying up.

"Oi, Zera, are you alright?" asked Stella, touching my arm.

With Connor's help, I rose to my feet. "I think so," I said. "But by now there is bound to be permanent damage to my head. That is the second Celestrian to hit me there!"

"She's fine," said Connor. But he did not let go of me, I noted.

"You made a right pig's eye of that, didn't you," commented Stella. "So that Corvus bloke was behind the whole Gittish Empire, was he? But he's a Celestrian, right? How come he looks so rough?"

Everyone shrugged but me. I was thinking back to Corvus's words, _None can know the hatred I have fostered these past three hundred years. None can imagine the pain of my captivity. And yet it is that very pain and hatred that has given me power._

But I _could _imagine. Only a short time before, I had believed Aquila to be a traitor. I remembered the strange, intoxicating power behind the hatred, the madness that had begun to bubble up. Whatever had happened to Corvus must have been boiling within him for those three centuries he languished in the Imperial prison...

"Ooh, hang on," said Stella, interrupting my thoughts. "Someone's coming…"

We turned to face the door as a familiar transparent figure entered: Serena.

"Corvus!" she cried, looking around. Her face fell as she realised that he was not there. Slowly, she moved to the spot where Corvus had been chained.

"Oh…" she murmured. "I was so certain I had found you at last…"

"What?" asked Stella. "That was who you were going up dale and downhill looking for this whole time?"

Serena looked at Stella and did not bother answering.

"Well sorry, but you just missed him," continued Stella, her tan cheeks darkening.

"He was here?" asked Serena. "I knew he would be." She looked away. "But I was too late again…"

I grabbed Connor's hand as my vision faded away, replaced by the church in Wormwood Creek. The Guardian statue was in its rightful place, and Corvus stood before it. But his wings were full, his skin normal, his eyes blue. He was not twisted as he had been when we met him in the flesh. As we looked at the scene, Serena walked up.

"What were you thinking, leaving the house like that?" she asked. "You're not well yet. You're still badly wounded, Corvus. You have to take more care of yourself!"

Corvus turned to face her, a hint of sadness tingeing the smile upon his face. "…Wormwood is a pleasant village," he said. His voice then was discernible from his current one only by its lack of madness. "My stay here has taught me this much. Serena, I will continue to watch over you when I am gone.

Serena looked at him, confusion clear upon her face. Corvus held something out. Dangling from a delicate chain, I recognised the pendant of Serena's serene necklace.

"Please," Corvus said, "accept this as a token of my oath." He took one of her hands and placed the necklace in it. I noticed that he did not let go of her hand once he had given her the necklace.

"Oh, Corvus…" Serena said, looking from Corvus to the pendant. "What is it?"

"It is a serene necklace," Corvus said. "It will glimmer when a Celestrian is near at hand. I pray that it glitters always."

Serena looked up from the necklace, surprised. "You – You mean you'll be by my side forever?"

Corvus nodded, smiling. I saw the answering smile that graced Serena's features.

Then I caught a glimpse of ranks of soldiers – at least a dozen rows, each with ten soldiers. My vision flickered back an instant later to the inside of the church as Serena's father hurried up to girl and Celestrian.

"There you are!" he said.

"Father!" said Serena, flushing slightly. "What is it?"

"It's bad news, I'm afraid," replied her father. "Very bad…"

He explained in a rush about the soldiers outside. They had come, he said, for Corvus.

"…Imperial soldiers are here looking for me?" asked Corvus slowly. His mouth set angrily. "Do they never learn? It seems I must teach them another lesson."

As he moved to leave, Serena's father threw out an arm to block his path. "No, wait!" he said. "There are too many of them. Loads more than last time. You may be a Guardian, but with your injuries, you'll never be able to take them all on."

"What would you have me do?" asked Corvus, visibly annoyed. "I must protect the village. I must face them."

"No," said Serena's father, "you'd better go and hide in the cave by the spring. I'll tell the soldiers the Celestrian's cleared off back to his own land."

"But," argued Corvus, "if I do so…"

"Please, Corvus…" said Serena quietly, "for me. I can't bear to see you hurt any more."

Corvus looked at her, and then looked away. "…Very well," he said, and I knew he was agreeing only for Serena.

Serena's father nodded once. "Serena, go with him and hide," he said. "And take that…special medicine from the drawer. Just in case…"

Serena looked at him oddly. "F-Father…?" she asked.

"I'll keep the soldiers out of the village for as long as I can," said Serena's father, paying no mind to his daughter's questioning look. "The rest is up to you."

He turned and left. Serena and Corvus looked at one another.

"Come on, Corvus," said Serena. "We have to hurry!"

As they began to leave, Serena looked down at the serene necklace. It was glowing brightly. "The necklace might give us away," she murmured. "I'd better hide it."

"…Serena?" asked Corvus.

Serena looked at the Guardian statue, and my vision went black. I heard her voice through the darkness: "No one will find it here. Quickly, let's go."

_And that is how the necklace came to be there…_

My vision lightened to see Serena and Corvus walking into the cave where Wallace and Opal had gone after the meeting in the Wormwood Creek church.

"We made it," said Serena, relief in her voice. "Thank goodness. They'll never find us here. We're safe now."

There was a long silence. Corvus was looking at the entrance to the cave.

"…Corvus?" asked Serena, turning to look at him.

"…Serena," said Corvus, looking at her. "I am sorry. I must return to the village. A Guardian cannot turn his back on the village he is sworn to protect in its time of greatest peril."

I could not help admiring his devotion to Wormwood Creek. It was foolish, perhaps, to see his injuries – his head was bandaged, and there were a number of bruises from his fall – but it was brave.

"I…" said Serena, "I thought you might say that. But I can't let you go in your state. Here…drink this." She held out a vial of something.

"What is it?" asked Corvus, taking the vial.

"It's a special medicine from our village," replied Serena. "My father made it. It'll heal your wounds."

Corvus's face softened into a slight smile. "I know not how effective mortal medicine may be on Celestrian wounds…" he said, "but thank you. I will use it gratefully."

My vision abruptly vanished, and I heard Corvus's voice through it. "Wh-What is…this…?" he asked, voice slurring despite his shock. "A…sleeping…draught…? Serena… Why…?"

When my sight returned, it revealed Corvus lying on the floor, fast asleep. The vial was next to him, a crack down the side. Serena's head was down.

"Forgive me, Corvus…" she murmured. "I had to do it. I couldn't let you go. You would have been injured even more horribly." She closed her eyes. "And I couldn't bear that…even if avoiding it meant deceiving you…"

I saw a tear slide out of one of her eyes. The slight pressure around my hand from Connor's increased. I squeezed in return.

"Well, what have we here?" asked a voice. I easily recognised the tone after spending two months under Imperial guards at the Goretress. One of the Gitts had found the cave!

"Just as promised, it's our winged friend. Jolly good show!"

A soldier with a fancy helm walked in, followed by two soldiers.

"Gittish soldiers…?" asked Serena, her face crinkling with confusion. "What are you doing here?" She stepped back towards Corvus. "I won't let you brutes take my Corvus from me!"

"And who, may I ask, is this young lady?" asked the lead soldier.

"P-Please don't hurt her!" cried a voice from outside the cave. "She's my daughter!"

Serena's father rushed into the cave, breathing hard. He positioned himself between Serena and the soldiers. "You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone from the village! You gave me your word!"

"F-Father…" said Serena, horror coming over her features. "No! You betrayed us! How could you!"

Her father looked at her sadly. "Serena, try to understand," he said. "It, it was for the sake of the village…"

Serena began shaking her head. "You traded our village's safety for its Guardian? I can't believe you'd do something so awful!" She turned and crouched next to Corvus. "Corvus!" she cried, shaking him. "Wake up! Please! Wake up!"

Corvus turned his head and opened his eyes slowly. "Ahhh…" he said. "Serena…?"

"You!" cried the lead soldier. "Stop that!" He advanced towards Serena, but her father blocked his path.

"Wait!" he exclaimed. "She was the one who tricked the Celestrian into taking the sleeping potion. She helped us get him. You've gotta go easy on her after she helped you like that."

My heart dropped into my boots as everything suddenly fell into place.

Pain and confusion crossed Corvus's tired face as he raised his head slightly. "Serena…" he said, "is this true…can you really have…done such a thing…?"

His head dropped back to the floor. "No!" cried Serena, horrified. "It's not true, Corvus! You mustn't believe him!"

But it was too late. Corvus could not hear her.

"…Hmm…" said the lead soldier. "Very well, then. We're only here for the Celestrian. I don't much care about anything else." He looked to the other soldiers. "You two, if you'd be so kind as to chain him up and escort him out of here."

"Yes, sir!" replied the soldiers in unison.

My vision faded as they moved to follow the order. Serena's shouts rent the darkness: "Corvus! CORVUS!"

Now Corvus was gone. Serena's father blocked her behind him as he faced the soldiers.

"Now, what am I forgetting…?" wondered the lead soldier, looking away. "Oh yes, would you mind awfully executing these two?"

My stomach gave a lurch, and I saw my shock magnified in the faces of Serena and her father.

"B-But we had a deal!" cried Serena's father.

"Well, yes," said the lead soldier dispassionately, "but I also said I didn't much care about anything but getting my hands on the winged fellow. Awfully sorry, old boy."

As he turned and walked off, a string of rude names to call him ran through my mind, each worse than the first. Serena's father stepped forwards to meet the others, raising his cane.

"…No!" he said. "How could this… Serena… You have to get away from here. Go, quickly!"

He ran forwards, and as the weapons clashed with the cane, my vision whited out.

"Aaaarrrgh!"

"F-Father!"

He lay on the floor, blood oozing out of a wound beneath him. But clearly, his heart had stopped. There was no rhythm to the flow.

Serena squeezed her eyes shut. "Corvus…" she murmured, tears slipping out of her eyes. "Wait for me, Corvus…"

With that, she opened her eyes and clenched her fists. I could see the determination on her features, despite the tears running freely down her cheeks. "Even if I die here today, I will find you," she vowed. "Wherever you are… However long it takes… I will find you…"

I closed my eyes as the soldiers advanced on Serena.

"So that's what happened…" murmured Stella. I opened my mind to find that we were back in the present. "Well, I can see why old Corvus isn't madly keen on mortals. He must think you sold him up the river."

Serena sighed. "I have to find him and tell him what really happening that day… That's why I've been searching for him all these years." She turned. "And if he's moved on somewhere else, I have to follow…"

As she walked away, her form dematerialised.

"Well, he's somewhere else, alright," said Stella. "I wonder what he's planning on doing all the way up there…"

"Nothing good, I'd bet," said Sydney.

There was a long pause.

"Well, looks like we're done here," said Stella then, sighing. "The décor really doesn't do much for me, so let's make like a tree and…er…bough out, shall we?"

I could not help grinning as we headed for the door. As we walked forwards, I heard footsteps coming down the spiral passage to the dungeon. Moments later, Sterling appeared around the curve.

"Zera!" he called, hurrying to join us. "Thank crikey! Yer alright!"

As he reached us, he said, "Some feller called up old Barbarus and went flyin' off…an' I 'adn't 'eard nuffink from ya, so I got a bit worried and came lookin'."

"'A bit worried', he says," said Stella, rolling her eyes. "Do you have any idea what's been going on? Pah! We should call you fathead, not fatguts! That 'feller' was the one behind everything. And he's stupidly powerful, and now he's flown off to the Realm of the Almighty!"

"You wot!?" asked Sterling. As we each began to explain, talking over one another in our attempts, he held up a hand. "Look, you'd better tell me all about it on the way back to the Observatory. Them Celestrians you rescued are all waitin' aboard the Starflight for a lift 'ome. We'd better get movin'."

* * *

><p>Hey, everyone.<p>

It's a bit of a paradox, I think. As we grow closer to the end, things speed up, but it takes me longer to write. It's all school, really. My only chance to write is on the weekends, and even then I've got more to do than just sit and type - however much I'd like to!

Anyway, until I finally get the chance to update again, may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


	29. Chapter 29

"Can it truly be so…?" wondered Apus Major, staring off into space. There was a distinctly worried expression upon his face. "The light that ravaged our realm… The rebirth of the Gittish Empire… This was all… This was all the work of Corvus…?"

We had returned to the Observatory after our encounter with Serena and told Apus Major of everything that had occurred. For several minutes, he had simply sat in mute shock. This was the most he had spoken in that time.

He gave a sigh. "It is centuries since his disappearance. To think that he languished in an Imperial prison all those years… His anguish can only be imagined… And his bitterness has consumed him entirely. He is fallen from grace…"

Slowly, he rose and approached us. "…Zera…" he said. "Corvus, who is fallen from grace, has ascended to the Realm of the Almighty in the hope of supplanting Zenus Himself. Would that I could send you and your loyal companions to stop him before it is too late. But, as you know, a Celestrian cannot stand against a superior."

_All too well,_ I thought ruefully.

"And, driven by hatred as he is, none among us outstrips Corvus now. Not even myself."

With that, he turned away. I shifted uncomfortably as he prayed, wondering if it was appropriate to leave. I was eager to do something – what, I was not sure, but _something._ The Protectorate was in danger. _My home _was in danger. And if we did not stop Corvus, our child was in danger. There had to be something we could do…

I started when I realised Apus Major was speaking to me again. "Thank you for your report," he was saying. "You may leave."

We each gave a respectful nod and turned to leave. I sighed and took Connor's hand as we headed down the stairs. "There must be something we can do," I murmured.

His response was interrupted. My head snapped up as I heard Mother's voice echo in my head.

_"…Zera, my child…"_ she said. _"I must speak with you… Come to me… Come to the foot of the world tree…"_

There was a flash of light, and then nothing. No one else seemed to have noticed anything.

"Zera?" asked Connor, looking at me. "Are you alright? You just stopped."

"Mother wishes to see me," I said. "Let us hurry – she may know something about how to save the Protectorate!"

The others traded glances as I hurried out, pulling Connor behind me.

"When in the world did she tell you that?" asked Opal, running beside me.

"Just now," I said. "I assume none of you heard it?"

"Nope," said Opal.

Conversation had to stop soon. I did not slow as I ran along the pathways, taking stairs two at a time.

As we raced up one set of stairs, I glimpsed a flash of light violet hair and stopped. "Oof!" grunted Sydney as she ran into me. "Zera, what is _with_ you?"

"Columba," I said, pointing. The librarian stood on the level below us, staring up at the sky. I knew that position. I had seen her standing there before. Aquila had told me that she was praying for Corvus.

"I need to speak to her," I murmured. "I must apologise for what I said yesterday." Almighty, had it really only been yesterday? So much had occurred…

Connor squeezed my hand and let me head down alone.

"Columba?" I asked quietly, not wishing to startle her. Slowly, she looked down from the sky and at me.

"Dark clouds obscure the view," she said, "but beyond them lies the starry sky, ever vast, ever beautiful. Perhaps you already knew this, but…all the stars in the night sky were once Celestrians. When a Celestrian's duty in this world is done, his soul rises into the sky to join the celestial host. Aquila is surely up there somewhere…"

I swallowed past the lump that had appeared once again in my throat and nodded. "I am sorry," I began, but Columba shook her head.

"I understand, child," she said. "Apus Major appraised all the Observatory yesterday, after you left. You were deeply hurt, for which I cannot blame you." Gently, she laid a hand on my shoulder. I realised with surprise that there were tears in her eyes. "Have you healed your anger?"

I nodded. "I am ashamed," I said. The words sounded choked. "When I saw him earlier, I was so angry…I think it drove me mad for a time. But when I discovered his true nature, and he saved me…I feel awful. I owe him a debt that I can never repay."

The two of us stood in silence for a moment. Then Columba murmured, "Go. Save my master from himself, and consider your debt to Aquila repaid. That was all he desired."

I nodded again. "Goodbye, Columba," I said.

"Goodbye, Zera," she said, returning her attention to the sky. I headed slowly back up the stairs to the others.

At the base of the World Tree, we stood for a moment before Mother spoke. _"…The skies are streaked with sadness…" _she said. _"Corvus's hatred and anger threaten to consume our world entirely… But we cannot allow him to sin any further… His is a soul that can yet be saved… Hark, Zera…"_

Here, her tone changed. _"…All the mortals to whose aid you have come so willingly… All the lives that would have been filled with sorrow had it not been for your intervention…"_

The form of the Tree began to glow, increasing until all I could see was white. Then, interposed over the blinding field, I saw a vision of the Protectorate. I zoomed closer until I hovered over Erinn, standing outside of the Quester's Rest. She was staring up at the sky, a smile upon her face. It seemed that she was looking right at me.

_"Gratitude fills their hearts to overflowing…" _said Mother. _"Their pure, mortal hearts…" _

Erinn began to glow softly. My view changed back to the Protectorate, where I saw whole cities glowing. Stornway, Coffinwell, Alltrades Abbey…every place where we had assisted mortals.

Suddenly, my vision returned to the Observatory as the glows streaked up. The Tree was glowing blindingly.

_"It is their turn now to come to your aid… To lend you their power in return…"_

Something within Yggdrasil's glowing boughs began moving. As it drew nearer, my eyes widened, for I recognised what it was: A fygg!

_"…Behold," _said Mother, _"a fygg born of all your good deeds… A gift from all those you have helped so selflessly… Eat of this fygg, Zera…"_

The fygg landed gently in my arms as I stared up at the glowing Tree. Suddenly, I remembered the conversation we had had aboard the _Pride _as we sailed to Gleeba.

_Opal asked, "If fyggs really did grant wishes properly, without turning you into a monster or anything, what would you wish for when you ate it?" _

_…_To be mortal. I would wish to be a mortal. And to remain in the Protectorate with Connor.

_The speed at which I realised this surprised me. Would I truly give up my Celestrian being so readily? _

Yes,_ said a small voice inside of me. _Yes, you would.

_"Consume it, and become mortal… Do so, that you might overcome the law of the Celestrians and battle Corvus… That you might bring his sinning to an end… That this is no easy choice, I understand…"_

"Mother," I said, smiling slightly. "There is no choice. The path of the mortal is that which I was born to tread." I glanced briefly at Connor. "For when I go to battle Corvus, I do not just go to save the Protectorate and the mortals… I go to save my home and my friends. And my family." Lightly, I touched the base of my stomach. "All generations of it."

Yggdrasil's glow brightened with the feeling of a smile. _"…Go to the…Realm of the…Mighty…" _Mother said. _Stop…him… For all our…sakes…"_

The glow disappeared then, leaving me blinking to restore my vision to normal. Then I looked at the fygg lying in my arms.

"Did you mean it?" asked Opal quietly. "What you said about the Protectorate being your home. And…everything else."

I nodded, looking up. "I meant every word," I said. "It has been my home for longer than any of you have been alive. I just did not realise it until after I fell…and met you all."

I was not the only one smiling when I finished speaking. My gaze drifted back down to the fygg, and I suddenly realised how hungry I was.

"We should go to the Starflight," I said. "I would hate to think that Stella and Sterling were excluded from this. They deserve to know…" I swallowed. The full implications of being mortal were suddenly occurring to me. I would not be able to see Stella any more. Nor Sterling, nor the Observatory, nor even Mother.

But I had to do it. As soon as the fygg had touched my arms, I had known that this was my destiny. I was a mortal at heart, not a Celestrian. The Protectorate was my home. And I would defend it with my life.

I shifted the fygg and took Connor's hand as we headed down the stairs and to the Starflight Express. When we slid open the door and stepped inside, both Stella and Sterling looked over at us.

"I 'eard what Celestria said, treacle," said Sterling. "But d'you really reckon you could just give up bein' a Celestrian an' spend the rest of your days as a mortal? I don't reckon even you're barmy enough to go doin' somefing like that."

"Thanks," I said dryly. Opal giggled.

Sterling shook his head, smile appearing and vanishing in almost the same moment. "But maybe I'm wrong," he said. "Maybe you really do wanna go after Corvus that much. If you do, now's the time to sow it. Choose that path, treacle, and I'm wiv you all the way. I'll fly you to the Realm of the Almighty and beyond!"

I was encouraged by his support. But Stella saw fit to open her mouth then.

"What the flap are you saying, you stupid idiot!?" she burst. "Why don't you think before you start clapping your trap? If Zera becomes mortal, she won't be able to see us any more, will she? They can't expect you to do it, Zera, not for anything! Don't flapping do it!"

I looked her straight in the eye. "This is what I was meant to do, Stella," I said. "I must stop Corvus…for the sake of my home."

Then I lifted the fygg to my mouth and began to eat.

It was the most exquisite fruit I had ever tasted. The peel was thin and taut, and warm, but within, the fygg practically exploded with flavour. It was sweet, yet it had a hint of sour underneath. It was cool within, perfectly refreshing. Though my stomach had been growling with hunger before and the fygg was not very large, it seemed to fill me up quickly. By the time I finished, I was no longer hungry.

"Nooo!" Stella wailed. I blinked in surprise. I could still see everything. And Stella, clearly, was perfectly audible. Had something gone wrong?

"She ate it, she ate it!" continued Stella frantically. A mean idea popped into my head, and I had to bite back a smile.

"Oi, Zera!" said Stella, waving her hand in front of my face. "Zera! Can you hear me? Talk to me!"

I put a panicked expression onto my face. "Stella?" I asked, whipping my head around. "Sterling? Where are you? Where is the Starflight!?"

Stella began flailing about in a complete panic. "Nooo! She can't see us, she can't see us! She's flapping mortal!"

That was when I began laughing. Stella stopped flailing and glared at me. "Of all the nasty, dirty tricks!" she spat. "You had me flapping terrified, Zera! I thought you were mortal whole and through!"

I took a second to get myself back under control. "I am sorry," I said breathlessly. "But it was a perfect opportunity! You would have done the exact same thing."

Stella muttered something incoherent. Then she said, "So it didn't work? Thank flap for that! It must be because you don't have any wings or a halo or anything. The fygg didn't think you were a Celestrian."

Sterling looked at me for a long moment, and I could easily read the sadness upon his face. "You disagree," I said quietly.

He nodded. "Sorry to disappoint you, treacle," he said, looking at Stella, "but it worked alright. Can't you feel it? She's got mortal written all over 'er. I reckon the only reason she can still see us is because it ain't finished yet. It'll probably just take a bit longer to work. But once it does, treacle, well…" He looked at me. "Us, the Starflight, the Observatory… You won't be able to see none of it no more."

Stella turned away with her arms folded. "Oh, for flap's sake!" she said. Underneath the anger, I could hear suppressed tears. "I try and look at the bright side, and old fatguts has to open his big flapping mouth and ruin it all!"

Sterling looked the opposite direction in anger. "Well, 'scuse me for tellin' the truth. We can't all spend our lives away with the faeries!" He huffed angrily and looked back at me. "Look, Zera, you've proved 'ow much you want this, and I for one ain't gonna stop you doin' what you gotta do. So where to next? You goin' after Corvus or 'eadin' down below? It's up to you, treacle."

I looked out of the window for a moment. There was every chance that I would never see the Observatory again, whether we stopped Corvus or not. Somehow, it was not as bittersweet an idea as I would have expected. Though this was the place I had lived the longest, it had been only a temporary home. The only two beings from the Observatory I would ever miss were Aquila – who no longer was there – and Columba.

I turned away from the window. "Let us head to the Realm of the Almighty," I said. "It is time to finish this."

Sterling nodded, turning to the console, and threw the lever to set us going. I looked back out the window and watched as the Observatory shrank behind us. Then I felt a warm, slightly rough hand grasp my own.

"Hey," murmured Connor. "Are you alright?"

I did not answer for a long moment. As the Observatory dwindled into a dot beneath us, I murmured, "There it goes."

Connor put his arms around me. As I leant up against him, nuzzling myself into his chest, he whispered into my ear, "It'll be all right."

"I know it will," I replied. "It is just…so much has changed, in so short a time. Especially for a Celestrian. A few months is like the passage of a week for us…for them."

Connor looked out the window and sighed. "That's going to take some getting used to, isn't it?"

"It will be interesting," I said. "I suppose everything will change faster – physically, I mean." I smiled wryly. "Not that it would not be doing that anyway. I suppose the baby will change me a lot within the next few months…"

We stood there silently for a moment, each in our own thoughts. Mine had drifted away to the idea of having a baby with Connor. If we survived what we were about to do, then Connor and I would be able to settle down somewhere and raise the baby. We would have a chance to be a real family.

"I cannot believe this is happening," I murmured. "If we succeed, if we do stop Corvus, then we will be able to really be together for as long as we both live. We will be able to raise the baby like a real family." I smiled. "You know, I do not think I could imagine anything better."

"Me, neither," said Connor. We looked at each other for a moment, smiling.

Then I heard Sterling: "Wot the!?"

We looked around to see Sterling, Stella, Opal, and Sydney all looking out the windows in shock. Connor and I hurried over to see what they were staring at.

The sky was dark, just as it was below. The islands of the Realm were shaking, and the great temple was beginning to crumble from the force. Dark…_things _were sprouting from the islands, and they and the growing darkness connected them all in thick, dark tendrils. My stomach gave an uneasy twist just from looking at it, and I scrambled to the side to avoid throwing up on anyone.

"Well that's not exactly easy on the eyes, is it?" asked Stella. She glanced down at me, and as she moved to help, she muttered, "Or the guts. I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I think I ruined the upholstery," I said, wiping my mouth. Sterling shook his head and nodded towards the puddle my bile had become. It was not there any more.

I stood, glancing once at the now-clean floor, as Stella said, "This Corpus character needs a serious talking-with about his taste in evil fortresses…"

"He does," agreed Opal. "I think that's our job."

We landed on the lowest part of the newly created fortress.

"Yes," I agreed. "…Let us go. Stella, you remain here with Sterling. It will be safer for you if you stay out of the way."

Stella did not argue. She and Sterling wished us luck as we stepped out of the Starflight. I shivered as the door slid closed behind us. This was not a place where I wished to be. I was only glad that I was not here alone. That would have been perfectly awful.

"Let's hurry," said Sydney. "There's something very wrong about this place. It's not properly…alive."

This time, I was not the only one who shuddered. I took Connor's hand, and all four of us moved closer together as we began heading up to find Corvus.

A half-hour or so later, we ran into an unexpected roadblock. A distinctly porcine figure wielding a spiked ball at the end of a chain stood directly in our path up a set of stairs.

Goreham-Hogg exposed his teeth in a strange smile. "I know I shouldn't be hogging the limelight like this," he said, "but Corvus very thoughtfully used his powers to save my bacon! And I would have to be an absolute pig not to repay the favour by trouncing those who are swine enough to oppose him!"

I knew what was coming and had my sword out in an instant. And, for the second time, we engaged Goreham-Hogg in battle.

It was much shorter than the first time we fought him. When a powerful and particularly well-placed head blow from Sydney's staff sent the Lieutenant reeling, he did not even speak before he dissolved into dust.

Forty minutes after that, we encountered Hootingham-Gore blocking the way to a choice of directions.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo," he chuckled. "Hoo should it be but you, Zera? What a pleasant surprise."

Sad to say, the feeling was not mutual. When had Corvus re-resurrected Goreham-Hogg and Hootingham-Gore? And (my stomach leapt in excitement), had he raised Goresby-Purrvis as well?

"I owe my comeback to the one hoo they say fell from grace, to wit the former Celestrian, Corvus," continued Hootingham-Gore, oblivious to my preoccupation. "And now he seems to think he's the one hoo's calling all the shots. Hoo, hoo, hoo! I'll show him hoo's boss!"

He readied his staff.

"But that will have to wait. I have more pressing matters to attend to, to wit hoomiliating you in battle!"

This battle lasted no longer than the one with Goreham-Hogg. In truth, I was growing quite bored. These Lieutenants were scarcely worth fighting.

When Hootingham-Gore had followed Goreham-Hogg into dust, we chose the path to the left and continued up.

Some ways further up, we encountered something strange. A large, gaping hole stood in the floor before us, but it was not a break like the holes in Gittingham Palace. This hole looked intentional. I could hear air rushing, as though a wind were moving upwards through it. Glancing up, I saw a matching hole in the roof.

"This must be the way up," said Sydney.

The four of us looked at one another doubtfully. "How safe do you suppose it is?" I asked.

Connor shrugged. "Only one way to find out," he said, and to all of our shock he jumped out and into the hole.

Two pairs of hands grabbed me when I attempted to launch myself after him. An instant later, Connor's lanky figure was shot up through the air. A grin spread across my face.

I leapt out into the hole as well. For an instant, I could feel the wind and the power of gravity fighting a battle over me; then the wind won out and I felt myself flying upwards. I could not help the exhilarated smile that appeared on my features. I had not flown like this in months!

Connor grinned at me when I landed beside him. "Exciting, isn't it?" he asked.

I nodded, still smiling from the rush. We moved closer together, and I felt myself getting a little hot – possibly increased by the adrenaline rush of my flight.

We were suddenly interrupted by a throat-clearing from the direction of the air-vent. I felt myself flush bright red, and Connor and I moved apart. "Ahem," I said, attempting to cover up. "Shall we go, then?"

Opal giggled and nodded.

Sydney and Opal very obviously put themselves between Connor and me as we moved up the stairs.

"Very funny," said Connor. I could see that he had gone red, too. Opal was still giggling.

At the top of the stairs, I saw what I had been hoping for. Goresby-Purrvis stood up there, arms crossed. When he spotted us, his trademark feline grin spread across his face.

"Corvus raised you as well, then?" I asked. I could not help feeling excited.

At Corvus's name, Goresby-Purrvis rolled his eyes. "I am a faithful servant of the head of the House of Gitt," he said. "To suggest that I might serve another is a purrnicious insult!"

And then his grin returned. "As there is no head of the House at the moment, my only purrpose is to find suitable skilful opponents to fight. Now would seem like the purrfect time for us to see whose skills are the greater, eh, Zera?"

I grinned and drew my sword. "I was hoping you would say that," I said. My entire body was awake from adrenaline and interrupted desire. This would be the perfect outlet! "What do you say we fight one-on-one? No healing, no help. Just you and me."

Goresby-Purrvis's answer was to draw his sword with the same quick motion he had used at Gittingham Palace.

We whirled into battle. Connor, Opal, and Sydney scrambled back as Goresby-Purrvis and I exchanged a rapid set of blows and then drew apart, circling.

The past and future ceased to exist as the two of us fought.

I dodge a blow from his sword, then swing my own. Our blades meet in midair, sending a flurry of sparks to the ground. We whirl together, separated by only a hair's width or that of our blades, just to disengage a second later.

The battle grows into a dance, one accompanied by the music of footwork and clashing blades. Pain becomes only an element of the dance, something that adds to the excitement. I do not feel the pain in the way that I normally do. It is nothing but more music to dance to.

It grows in tempo and ferocity as our blows grow faster, stronger. We seem to be strengthening rather than weakening as we progress. Though my arm grows leaden from exhaustion, I do not stop. I cannot. Rather, I toss my sword from my left to my right hand and continue on.

But it must end eventually. Goresby-Purrvis is tiring, as well. A quick underhand strike catches his sword from beneath and tears it from his grasp. The stroke continues, slicing up through his midsection.

Goresby-Purrvis falls to his knees. He looks at me, respect in his eyes. I kneel before him, paying homage to the great warrior that he is. Then his eyes close, and his form dissolves into dust.

Time's meaning returned to me as I slowly rose. A hand touched my shoulder gently, and I turned to see Connor. I smiled slightly.

"…You're a real warrior," Connor murmured. "I think Goresby-Purrvis knew that, too. I've never seen anything like that before." He pulled me in in a brief hug. As we pulled apart, he said, "Come on. We've got work to do."

I nodded, and we resumed our journey up to the temple.

Despite the relative youth of the afternoon – it was perhaps only two fifteen or so when we reached the temple – we were all exhausted. There was something else wrong with the Realm now. It was not just that it was not properly alive, as Sydney had said. There was something in the aura of the temple, which grew stronger as we approached. It tired us out. We grew exhausted far faster than we should have.

We found Corvus upstairs, where I had offered up the fyggs. He sat in a throne, head down.

"Their very existence is an insult…" he murmured, "an abomination…a crime… Not the mortals alone… The very world created for them by their pathetic god is irredeemably tainted with sin. The only righteous path is that of destruction. Immediate and total destruction."

"That seems a little harsh," Sydney murmured. Despite the situation, I snickered. Corvus raised his head and looked at us.

"Wherefore do you come here, wingless one?" he asked me. I slid my hand up to grasp the hilt of my sword. "Do you mean to prevent me from fulfilling my purpose?"

I lifted my chin a millimetre or two. "I do," I said simply.

Corvus chuckled once, a low sound deep in his throat. "…Your intentions are foolish and utterly futile," he said. "You are bound by the laws of the Celestrians and cannot take arms against me."

I bit down on the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing. But I grew very serious when Corvus stood at lightning speed, raising his hand as though to strike.

"Come," he cried, "let me teach you of oblivion!"

As usual, Connor was the first to spring into action. He struck Corvus with four blows in quick succession, his Multifists attack. Opal cast Kacrack, looking suddenly drained as the icicle erupted beneath Corvus. The aura around the temple was incredibly powerful within.

Sydney flung out her staff, hitting Corvus in the side. He staggered, glaring at her. Then he lunged, lashing at her face with his outstretched hand. Sydney clapped a hand to the scratches his overgrown nails had inflicted.

I blocked Corvus's next attack with my shield. Then I retaliated, stabbing out from behind my shield. The point of my sword caught him in the shoulder, and he cried out, glaring at me. I stuck out my tongue, distracting him for long enough for Connor to execute a roundhouse kick to the back of Corvus's head.

When a mistimed blow with the flat of my sword sent Corvus reeling, stumbling back against the throne, it took him a moment to raise his head. When he did, there was a look of such anger upon his face that we all instinctively flinched back.

"How can this be?" he growled. "How is a Celestrian able to stand against me?"

My shoulders went back. "A Celestrian cannot…" I said. A grin touched the corners of my mouth as I finished, "…but a mortal can."

He took that rather better than I had anticipated. "…Hm." he said. He looked down, seeming to consider the idea. "Hm hm hm. How fitting… That the one who would destroy me should become mortal, when my hatred of mortalkind has made me as I am…"

The few feathers remaining on his wings began to fall, and all four of us stepped back and closer together as an impossibly _dark _darkness began to pour forth from his form.

"And just as you have shed your Celestrian form, so shall I shed mine, that I might give vent to the full force of my power."

The darkness gathered around him, too thick to see through. My stomach twisted in a way that had nothing to do with pregnancy and everything to do with the extreme _wrongness _of the situation.

Then two red pits gleamed, and the darkness dissipated. Corvus rose with ease, and my companions and I shrank back instinctively.

His form had changed. His wings were shaped exactly like those of a bat, with no trace of feather. Strange designs covered them, and his skin had turned a more distinct shade of green. The horns upon his head had grown, he had a tail, and – most frightening of all – his pupils and the whites of his eyes had vanished. They were pure, unadulterated _red._

He launched himself up, making us all jump.

"I await you below, mortal-made!" he cried. I craned my neck to watch as Corvus flew over us and dove down.

"Almighty," Connor muttered.

Opal gave a huge yawn, stretching her mouth farther than even I thought possible. My stomach growled. It was far too early to be tired and too soon after eating to be hungry, but we all were both. The aura surrounding the temple had faded as Corvus flew away, but its effects were not gone.

"Bedtime, I think," I yawned.

"Very early bedtime," agreed Sydney. "Dinner first?" She pulled out a loaf of bread, some cheese, and four apples.

We sat down to eat. I had to keep wrenching my eyes open all during the meal, despite my hunger, and none of the others fared any better. Opal actually fell asleep halfway through a bite and slumped down on my lap. I smiled and carefully scooted away. Opal scarcely so much as twitched.

When I could no longer fight the battle with my lids, I curled up on the floor right where I had been eating. My eyes closed. The last thing I felt before I fell asleep was a gentle hand brushing a lock of hair away from my face.

My dreams that night were strange, confused things, shot through with darkness and chords of terror.

Nothing seemed to be different when I woke up. I looked around for several moments, wondering what time it was. Then my stomach gave an almost meditative growl.

Some of the bread from before was still out. I grabbed a piece and began nibbling on it as I stood and crossed to one of the windows.

It was bleak outside. The dark clouds seemed to have grown thicker while I slept, and bolts of dark lightning lanced through them every so often. I could not help shivering. Nothing I had ever seen had been such a clear sign of evil. How could we hope to stand up to something of this power?

My hands moved to my stomach. Almighty, what would happen if we _couldn't_?

At that moment, I longed for someone like a parent. Someone older and wiser and stronger to comfort me, to tell me that it would be all right, that they would take care of it all. At the very least, I wanted Connor to be awake. Facing this alone made me feel tiny.

I heard someone stirring behind me, and I looked around to see Sydney sitting up. She blinked and looked around, then spotted me over by the window.

"Morning," she said. Then she paused. "Is it morning?"

"I am not sure," I replied. "The light is no different from when we went to sleep."

Sydney stood and crossed to join me at the window. She stared out for a long moment.

"The parts of my theology that were always hardest for me to accept," she said finally, "were the parts telling of an ultimate evil that existed somewhere in our world. I couldn't bring myself to believe that some evil being waited in the wings to seize on our momentary weakness, to destroy us as soon as it got the chance." She paused long enough that I thought she was done speaking. Then she said, "I still don't believe in it."

I looked at her incredulously. "You must be joking," I said. "After all we have seen with Corvus, you do not believe in evil?"

"I believe in evil," she said. "I just don't believe that it comes from an external source. That's just too easy. Evil is inside all of us. Some more than most." She looked down, and I wondered for a moment if she was thinking about her time as a thief. "But there's good inside us all, too. You just have to look for it."

It was a long moment before I could say anything. "You are philosophical this morning."

Sydney smiled and looked at me. "Why shouldn't I be?" she asked. "There's a lot to be philosophical about. And besides, I might as well get all my thinking done. There might not…"

She did not finish her sentence. I could understand why. It felt somehow wrong to discuss what we all knew: That this could very well be our last day. And not just our last day. If we did not succeed in stopping Corvus, it would mean the destruction of the world.

"How did this happen?" I asked. "How did the job of saving the world fall to three teenagers and a mortal Celestrian?"

Sydney thought about that for a long time. Finally, she simply said, "I don't know."

The silence that followed was broken by a loud growl from my stomach. Sydney and I looked at each other for half a second or so before we burst out laughing.

"I've got food," Sydney said. "We should probably wake the others, too."

We moved away from the dark view of the window to our last few moments of peace.

As we exited the temple after breakfast, the whole thing began shaking. I grabbed for something to hold on to, but I was not quick enough. None of us were. We fell down to a small island that we had passed the day before. Now, a path of light extended northwards, ending before a dark red, egg-shaped structure. A dark figure was curled into a fetal position within. I assumed it was Corvus.

An almost unrecognisable voice came from within the egg: "Come to me, Barbarus, born of the darkness! Obliterate those who would disturb me!"

_Well, that is harsh,_ I thought.

My humour vanished as the dark dragon flew into sight. He made tight loops around the path, forcing us to duck down. The spines on his back scarcely missed the top of my head as he twisted around. He landed, impossibly, upon the thick air that surrounded the path. He roared.

"Connor, no!" I yelled as he moved to step off the path. But he did not fall. It seemed impossible, but the air around the path was solid. I channelled my mind to other thoughts before I could begin wondering just how far the solidness extended.

There was a very solid _thunk_ as the end of Sydney's staff connected with Barbarus's chest. Opal cast Kacrack.

Barbarus reared back, and I saw the fire flickering inside his maw. I grabbed Connor's arm and raised my shield to protect us. An instant later, a blinding inferno swirled around us, blistering my skin. The heat of the air made me feel as though my lungs were melting when I inhaled.

The swipe of a black claw followed the torrent of flames. It scored lines across my mail but caused no lasting damage. Then I left the relative safety of the path and used Dragon Slash.

Though it was four to one, the black dragon still made a formidable opponent. I was sure he did not recognise me from the battle above the Magmaroo, but even if he did not I had something to settle with him. He had taken the life of a great hero that day – a hero and, in a way, a friend. I would make him pay for Greygnarl's death.

I was exceedingly pleased that it was my blow that ended him.

The dust he became was blown away by the cold wind that had begun to blow around us.

Then there was a cracking noise from the egg that contained Corvus. Cracks were webbing its surface, widening and expanding. Then the egg shattered, revealing a frightening being that looked absolutely nothing like Corvus. It had deep green skin, bat-like wings, horns, sharp canines, and red pits for eyes.

"So, mortal-made, you have bested mighty Barbarus," he said. His voice sent chills down my spine. In it were pain, destruction, fire, and a hatred so powerful that it set me reeling.

"Fool!" he cried then. "It is my hatred, my bitterness towards mortalkind – your kind – that feeds my power, that drives my rage!" He raised his hand as though he was preparing to strike. "And now there shall be no holding back. You will feel the full weight of my wrath, the full depth of my hatred!"

He roared, flinging his limbs out. The wind's speed increased, whipping my hair around my face. I could see out of the corner of my eye that none of the others were any better off.

"It is time…" said Corvus. Somehow, his voice carried over the sound of the wind. "The end of all things begins!"

The air around Corvus rent itself out of shape. As he roared, I looked to my left to see Opal's small form rigid with concentration. I admired her focus at being able to cast such a powerful spell in these conditions.

Opal's attack inspired the rest of us. Connor used Multifists, and then Sydney healed a claw wound on Opal's left arm. I had been keeping an eye on the battlefield this whole time, and I suddenly realised that Corvus was nowhere to be seen.

_Where – _I thought, but the thought was cut off. Something dropped out of the sky in front of me, and I felt several quick, sharp stripes of pain across my midsection. I gasped and stumbled back. Corvus spun around and lashed out at Connor with a hand. I noticed that his nails were bloody.

I tried to keep myself focused as I reached inside my bag for some sort of medicinal herb. I was feeling faint, and the smell of the blood – something I had never really noticed before – threatened to make me ill.

Sydney hurried over to me with something in her hand. "Careful now," she said, pressing whatever it was to my wounds. I inhaled sharply as the wounds began to sting even more than they already did. Sydney held me steady as I instinctively shuddered away from the stinging. Then she shoved what she was holding into a pocket and cast some variant of Heal.

"Thank you," I said. Sydney smiled once and hurried away. Then I ran at Corvus, sword outstretched.

The battle lasted for a long time. Corvus was incredibly strong, more than a match for the four of us. Sydney spent almost every turn healing one of us. But between Opal's spells and mine and Connor's physical force, we seemed to be slowly gaining the upper hand.

Then I felt something strange in the air. It was as though something was gathering itself, like the electricity before the lightning bolt. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Corvus seemed to curl in upon himself, and I wondered what was going on.

Without warning, Corvus flung out his limbs, releasing a veritable tsunami of power. I was blinded and deafened by the blast, flung backwards through the air by its sheer force. It felt as though I was being beaten, burnt, and struck by lightning all in the same instant.

Then I hit the ground, and I almost blacked out. My limbs were trembling, my breath shallow and ragged. Every square centimetre of my body hurt beyond belief. My vision seemed to dim.

The only thing I could think was that this was it. We had travelled and fought so hard and so long…how could this be the end? Surely, surely we could not be done for. And yet we were. I knew instinctively that none of the others could move any more than I. We were finished.

As we lay there, struggling for breath and life, hopelessness overwhelmed me. When we died, so would the world. Nothing would be able to survive Corvus's wrath. Erinn, Patty, Ivor, Phlegming, Simona, Abbot Jack, Jona, Bryson, Voluptua, Batzorig, Wallace, all those friends we had made…none would survive. We were _all_ finished.

And then, to my surprise, I grew angry. I had not thought I had enough life left in me for anger. But I did.

I was not going to lay here and die quietly. I was going to put up a fight if it was the last thing I did. And with that thought, I felt a measure of strength return to me.

Suddenly, the strength began flowing. My eyes widened as I recognised what was happening. My coup de grâce, my finishing stroke. In my greatest need, it was coming to me.

I pulled myself to my feet, revelling in the strength that was coursing through me. Around me, the others were rising as well. Corvus had pulled back, stunned to see us up. I glanced around at my companions and knew that they, too, were prepared for a final blow.

Four tense nods. I raised my sword.

Connor gave a war cry that would have terrified me if he had not been on my side. Joining his cry was the healing song that Sydney had created only yesterday, in the throne room as we battled King Godwyn. Like then, it healed our wounds and seemed to pain our enemy. Opal raised her knife, which was shining with a fire-red light. The light flared once, then leapt from her knife to my blade.

Now was the time. I extended my sword to the side, racing at Corvus. I could feel strength and health thrumming through my limbs, as Sydney's song gave me courage and Connor's continuing war cry made my blood hum with the beat of battle. I leapt into a corkscrew, ripping into Corvus. The cry that tore from my throat fell into perfect harmony with Connor's, weaving with the music into a terrifying, warlike song of victory.

Corvus reeled from the strength of our combined power. The others stepped forwards to join me in front of the former Celestrian. His expression could only be described as a snarl.

"H-How…can this…be…?" he asked angrily, seeming unable to fight any more. "How can I, who surpassed even the power of the Almighty, be defeated by mere…mortals…?"

Without thinking about it, the four of us joined hands. I smiled. "You do not know the depths of the mortal heart, Corvus," I said. "The lengths to which we will go to protect those we love is something you can no longer understand."

Corvus regarded us for a long moment. "Hm hm hm hm hm," he chuckled silently. I stiffened and glanced at the others. What was happening _now_?

"Ha ha!" laughed Corvus. "HA HA HA HA HAAAA! It matters not!" The smile upon his face was frightening to behold. "Revel in your pathetic victory while you still can, mortal worm! This world will soon be no more! You and all who dwell here will suffer complete and utter annihilation at my hands!"

He crossed his arms over his chest. My heart sank past my boots, down through the sky, and probably landed somewhere in the depths of the ocean. We could not defeat Corvus. Everything we did only angered him further, added to his power. Was there truly nothing that could be done to stop him?

Darkness swirled around him, and the four of us staggered as the blow of dark energy hit us like a terrible wind. Our grips on each other's hands were forced apart, and I felt myself flying through the air. I hit the ground and tried to stay there as the darkness whipped around me. My hair was ripped free from its ponytail and flew around my head as though caught in a tornado. I gritted my teeth, trying to stay on the ground.

"GRRRRRAAAARRRRGGGHHH!" roared Corvus, and the intensity of the wind doubled. I screamed as it tore into my skin like so many whips, digging in with claw-like fingers. It was trying to tear me apart!

Through the pain and the noise and the awful power Corvus had summoned, I was aware of the others. They were suffering the same as me. I began to cry, only to have the sobs and tears ripped away by the wind. We had tried so hard, so hard to save the Protectorate! Now it had all come to nothing. I would never see Connor alive again. Our child would never be born.

My hope drained away, and I gave in to the dreadful power of the wind. I could feel its savage delight at my release and it tore at me all the more. This was beyond any pain I had ever felt. I was beyond even the point where I could scream for mercy. All I could do was writhe and pray that I would be annihilated quickly.

I was doing just that when I heard something that did not belong: A woman's quiet voice.

"I've found you…" it said. "At last… I've finally found you…"

The wind suddenly died as a new presence joined us. I looked up in numb shock to see a blue light zooming towards us. It stopped in front of Corvus and resolved itself into the figure of Serena. Her hood was down, and she was smiling.

Corvus stared at the ghost for a long moment. "…Serena…?" he asked, and for an instant his voice sounded like it had in the visions we had been shown. But then Corvus's anger returned in full force. "…What business do you have with me, treacherous mortal!?"

"Corvus…" Serena said. "I've been looking for you… I've been searching for you for so long…"

Her necklace gleamed. I saw something glint in the red pits that passed for Corvus's eyes, and he moved to touch the pendant.

When he did, the faint blue glow Serena exuded grew so that it was all I could see. A series of still pictures from the visions Serena had shown us flashed past my eyes. On the final image, it stopped.

"I was so sorry I couldn't save you that day…" Serena said. Other images, ones I assumed to be from her centuries-long search, flashed by as she continued.

"I've been looked for you ever since. Trying to find you so I could…"

Flickering images of Corvus in his various stages of twistedness…

"So I could save you at last… Save you from the darkness and bitterness and despair…

The images faded, replaced by a field of blinding white. Slowly, it faded, and I realised that my sight was back in the present. A bright golden glow surrounded Serena and Corvus, and they were not the same as they had been moments ago. Corvus was returned to his full Celestrian glory. His hair shone gold, his eyes were a sparkling blue. Serena, too, was in full colour: She was, impossibly, _alive_.

"…Serena…" said Corvus, and his voice was returned to normal. "How could I ever have believed you would betray me? I am ashamed… So deeply ashamed of my lack of faith…of my rage… And you have suffered so much. You have wandered so long in search of me… Yet your will never faltered… Your resolve to bring me back from the darkness never wavered… To have believed one so pure…so blameless…could be guilty of treachery…" He closed his eyes and looked down. I caught sight of several tears making their ways down his cheeks. "And to have gone to such hateful lengths to exact my revenge…"

He shook his head as though to clear it, and looked towards the four of us on the ground. "Had you not stopped me," he said, "I would have allowed my hatred, my bitterness, my vengefulness to consume this world." He closed his eyes. "Though I tried for all eternity, I might never atone for my sins. But that final, most heinous crime…that, at least, was averted…"

He opened his eyes then and looked directly at me. "…Zera, Celestrian and Guardian…" he said. "You are the pupil of my own apprentice, Aquila. He has trained a worthy Guardian. You must ask him to forgive my failings on his part."

My throat tightened. I nodded. "But," I said desperately, "if you see him first – tell him that _I_ am sorry. For…for my failings."

Corvus looked at me for a long moment, then nodded.

Serena looked to Corvus. "It's time to go, Corvus," she said.

Corvus looked at her. "…Yes," he said. "Finally, it is."

The both of them looked up. Twin circles of gold formed around them, and they rose to the heavens. Though the circles shrank, their glow did not diminish, nor did they part from one another. They shone brightly together in the clear predawn sky, and a rain of light and stardust fell upon us.

I rose slowly, looking around at Opal and Sydney and then, last of all, at Connor. The light shining within his eyes made my heart swell with joy.

_"…Zera…"_ came Mother's voice from nowhere. There was a pause, and then a column of gold appeared. It resolved itself into Mother's form. She smiled, raising her hands. A flash of gold came from them and the Realm returned itself to normal. Mother lowered her hands, seeming pleased.

_"It was you, Zera…"_ she said. _"You, and your companions, who saved the world from sorrow… You who are both mortal and Celestrian… The world owes you all its very existence…"_ She looked to her right. _"…And now, the duty of the Celestrians, the task that has spanned so many aeons, is finally at an end…"_

Far down, I could see the shape of the Observatory. It was glowing. Specks of golden light showed where the Celestrians stood. The lights began to float up, around the Observatory.

_"…The Celestrians who rise to the heavens shall watch over the skies for all eternity…" _

Suddenly, we found ourselves atop the Observatory, where Yggdrasil ought to have stood. She was no longer there.

_"…But you, Zera…"_ said Mother. _"Your fate lies elsewhere…"_ She gestured out to a golden streak flying through the sky – the Starflight Express. _"…You must remain among the mortals… You must stand Guardian over their world…" _

The Starflight landed along the edge of Yggdrasil's plinth. Sterling exited and bowed to Mother.

_"…In time, the Realm of the Almighty…myself…all will be lost to your perception…" _Mother said. _"…But nonetheless, you must go forth… Go forth to your realm… The realm of the mortals…" _

I nodded, feeling my heart give a twist. Then, unable to contain myself any longer, I stepped forwards and embraced my mother for the first and last time.

Then I turned away and headed for the Starflight. Connor and the others boarded, but I hesitated at the door. I looked back and saw that the Observatory was gone. Mother seemed to stand upon empty air. The golden circles of my old people remained floating in the air around her.

_"…Thank you, Zera…" _said Mother.

The Starflight began to move. I watched as the golden stars ascended to take their places in the heavens. As we flew away, Aquila's words echoed in my head.

_Hello? Is anybody there? If you're there, say something. Show yourself. _

_Thus do the voices of mortals plead, ever hopeful of proof of our existence…_

Sterling pulled me gently away from the door and slid it closed.

_For how long now have we watched over their realm…? For how long have we Celestrians existed…? _

I had moved to the window, and so my view of the sunrise was unobstructed. We passed over Angel Falls, where Flinn chased after Ivor, cane raised. I could not help smiling. I had no doubt that Ivor needed whipping into shape.

Over Stornway, where Simona stood on a balcony outside the castle. Her father came outside, and the two of them smiled and went inside.

Coffinwell, where Laria and Philippa stood by Catarrhina's grave. Phlegming walked up and hesitated. But when Laria saw him, he gestured for Phlegming to join them.

Zere Rocks. Petra stood up there alone, staring around the stone village in amazement.

Bloomingdale, where Nanny found Marionette leaning against Marion's gravestone. She picked it up and took it inside.

We flew over Gleeba, where several people were gathered in the marketplace. Drak ran in, and the children in the market jumped in delight. Then Voluptua and Misslei joined them. Voluptua looked around at the people, and bowed. She and Misslei left. Drak jumped in surprise, and hurried after them.

Swinedimples Academy. Fred hurried up to a couple of his cronies, exchanged a few words with him, and then led them off.

Wormwood Creek, where Wallace was directing some of the men of the village as they endeavoured to move the Guardian statue.

The Magmaroo, where the old woman and several of the Upoverians left a keg of Drunken Dragon and walked away. My heart gave a leap as I saw the shadow of a dragon fly over.

Finally, we landed outside of Alltrades Abbey. We exited the train in silence. Then I heard a sniffle.

Stella was holding back tears. "…Ohh…" she said, and sniffed. "Is this really goodbye then? But I don't want you to go! Don't goooo!" She sobbed once more, and I touched her shoulder, trying to be reassuring.

Sterling spread his hands. "There ain't much we can do about it though, is there?" he asked. "Zera's mortal now. We belong to different worlds."

Stella wailed and began throwing what looked very much like a tantrum. "What's that got to do with it, you flapping old fatguts?" she wailed. "Have you got a heart of bone or something?" She sobbed, then turned and flew into the Starflight.

I looked after her sadly. The Starflight, Stella, and Sterling all had a look of being far too real. I really was mortal. There was no denying it.

"…Looks like there ain't much we can do about 'er, neither…" he murmured. Then he looked at me. "Don't blame 'er for takin' it so 'ard, Zera. She's only a kid. She don't understand yet like we do."

I smiled sadly. "I am only a child as well, Sterling," I said. "You ought to know that by now." We embraced briefly. "I shall miss you, you big bear."

Sterling detached himself and walked into the Starflight. He paused in the doorway. "Anyway, looks like this is ta-ra for now," he said. His voice was huskier than normal. "Look after yerself, treacle. Be lucky!"

He slid the door closed. I watched as the train began to move away, and suddenly the door reopened. Stella stood in the doorway.

"Waaaaaait!" she cried, waving frantically. "Zera! Travelling round with you has been…has been…you know, quite good." She sniffed. "We're still friends, even though you're mortal now. Never forget that you've got friends in, er…high places..."

She was silent for a moment, then called, "Oh, and, er… This is my last chance and everything, so I'd better tell you my toppest secret of all… I'm, er… I've kept this on the low-down for a long time now, but the truth is, I'm… What am…hiding…for…? …truth is… I…really…want…be a…nail ar… ….! ….!"

But the train was too far away. Her voice faded into silence as I saw one final gleam of gold in the sky…and then nothing.

_"…Zera…" _

I blinked back tears and looked for the source of Mother's voice.

_"…It is time for your journey on the path of the mortal to begin… Go bravely into this bright, new world…"_

And then her voice too faded to nothingness. There was a long silence. Then from behind me, I heard Connor speak, quietly. "Are you all right?"

"I will be," I murmured. Slowly, I turned, and looked at the others.

"After all…"

I smiled.

"I am home."

_**Epilogue – Ten Years Later**_

"Mum?" came a quiet voice from beside the door. I looked up to see the small, skinny figure of my nine-year-old son, Corvus. His long blonde hair, inherited from his grandmother, fell into his eyes.

"What is it, Corvus?" I asked, rising from the desk. Corvus came over to me.

"Dad sent me to ask if you were ready to go," he said. "Him and Aquila are waiting outside."

"Ahh," I said. "Of course. We are going to Bloomingdale today, aren't we?"

Sydney had moved to Bloomingdale about nine years before to take over for old Father Jacob when he retired. She and David had lived there that entire time, with their three children: Nancy, who was eight; Harvey, who was seven; and Isabella, who was five.

"Yes," said Corvus. A smile played around the corners of his mouth. Corvus always seemed to be about to smile, but he very rarely broke into a full grin. "You didn't forget, did you, Mum?"

"Of course not," I said. "I simply lost track of time. Tell your father and your brother that I shall be along in a moment. Are Mr and Mrs Kinsey here yet?"

After three years of magic study at Swinedimples, Opal had moved to Stornway. On a visit to Coffinwell, she had found out that Wallace was there, learning about archaeology from Dr Phlegming. It had not been very long before she had changed her hometown. She and Wallace had a daughter, Patricia, a little girl with kinky dark hair, bright blue eyes, and skin somewhere between white and milk chocolate.

"Yep," replied Corvus. "Come on, Mum!"

"All right," I said, putting the stopper in my ink bottle. "I am coming."

We headed out of the house to join Connor and Corvus's twin, Aquila. Aquila looked as much like his namesake as Corvus did his. He had his father's dark hair and eyes, and already at nine I could tell that when he grew older he was going to have a great many girls giggling over him. Aquila would enjoy that, I knew; he loved being the centre of attention. Corvus was quieter, less brazen, but he was a warrior at heart. He loved it when we would leave Stornway and practise fighting.

Connor put an arm around my waist and kissed me. "Lost track of time?" he asked.

I smiled. "You know me so well."

Opal, Wallace, and Patricia were there as well. Patricia was five and a half, and had the same energy and appetite as her mother. Opal grinned when she saw me.

"How deep into the book were you?" she asked.

I smiled. "A ways," I said. In the little free time I had had between raising the twins and the detective work Connor, Opal, Sydney, and I did, I had begun writing down the histories of the Celestrians. The mortals who remembered the Celestrian's existence were few and far between, and so the stories seemed to be fiction. People seemed to like them.

The seven of us began heading for the city gates. Sydney, David, and the children were waiting with the _Pride _to the north.

"So what's this one about?" asked Wallace as we walked.

I smiled. "It takes place about ten years ago," I said.

"It's the one about how you and Dad met, isn't it?" asked Corvus. He and his brother knew the story, but only Corvus believed it to be true. Aquila thought we had made it up, and put their names in it to make it more interesting to them.

I nodded.

As we continued walking, I glanced up towards the sky. Though it was daytime, I thought I saw a faint glint of a star. And I smiled as I thought of the name I intended to use for my story.

_The Mortal Sentinel_

* * *

><p>I can't believe it...the story's finished. It seems impossible. I hope you all liked it. This has been a great experience for me. And now I feel like playing professional author for a minute or two. You don't have to bear with me if you don't want to. Acknowledgements aren't always much fun to read.<p>

First and foremost, thank _you_! Thanks for all your reviews and favorites, and even just for reading. You guys are all incredible. And you have no idea how much it all means to me!

Second, I want to thank everyone who put up with my attempts to explain what I was doing writing while I played a video game, or typing something written in a notebook, or just what this story is about. I know it had to take a lot of patience, and I probably made a few people doubt my sanity. But thanks for putting up with it all the same.

Finally, thank you Leilani! You're the one who got me hooked on DragonQuest in the first place, and so you are totally to blame for all of this. But I'm so grateful. Love you, sister!

I don't know if I'll be coming back to write more. There are a few ideas floating around in my head for Pokemon Ranger fanfics, but I don't know if I'll actually do them. It's time I spent at least a little while focusing on my original stories. But until such time as I decide to come back...come on, all together now...may all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!


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